


I Do What I Must

by XxTheDarkLordxX



Series: The I Do Series [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Drama, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Husbands, Love, M/M, Magical Creatures, Prejudice, Slow Updates, Slytherins need love too, Smut, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-11-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 17:18:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 87,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11605263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxTheDarkLordxX/pseuds/XxTheDarkLordxX
Summary: When did simple hexes turn into deadly curses?With the war over, Slytherins had assumed that things would be peaceful. At least in regard to Hogwarts. They had assumed things would mellow out. They were wrong. So wrong. Ambushes, duels and incompetent teachers lurk around every corner. Points are meaningless when one has to fight for their life. What happened to typical school bullies? After all they had been those themselves previously. Can you fight in the name of the dead by vilifying the innocent?





	1. Prologue, The Divided

**Author's Note:**

> Warning- I do not own Harry Potter in any way, shape or form. All rights to the characters are trademarked by J.K. Rowling. The only thing is mine is the way I spin the story. It is for entertainment only and not part of the official story line.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would definitely read the other stories in my series. Or you will be lost. So lost.

            Over the years, Hogwarts has seen a lot of fights, arguments, parties, dances, organizations, clubs, graduations, meetings, duels and even war. Through every single one of these instances, the underlying concept has always been the understanding of comradery, friendship, forgiveness and mostly unity. Tough times and dark eras are common. Not everything can be a sunny disposition or easy breathing. Change happens inevitably and not always how it is originally intended.

            The school was founded by four _very_ different people who shared one giant dream. Four different personalities that often clashed. Four different ideas that nearly always warred with one another. Four different voices that just wanted to be heard. Four different fights that centered around different goals of the same picture. Four different triumphs that shaped the foundation. Four different joyous laughter that filled in the holes. Four different styles that taught the next generation and paved the way for every single one afterwards. Four different yells that brought the gloom and divided the unity.

            What had once started out as a perfect square, quickly morphed into the unrecognizable triangle that became tarnished beyond repair. Losing a member was the catalyst of Hogwarts. The flaw no one intended, the mistake no one saw coming. Not entirely obvious at first glance. Over the years, the holes wrought by the discord were plastered over by a false means at repair. Knowing when to forgive is just as important as knowing when to express regret. With only one half of the equation, nothing can be anchored. Nothing can be redeemed and only illusions of grandeur is left behind.

         Centuries pass but not a single generation has the means or the knowledge to change their ways. What once was, is forgotten by easier methods. What once seemed impossible, is now easily accepted. Things that don’t matter are fought over and coveted. While things that shape the minds are shoved to the side, never to be remembered. The divided masses became the standard, so far ingrained into society that it becomes established.

           When divided, nothing can ever truly be accomplished. When divided, no one really wins. When divided, society is at a standstill. When divided, progress is repressed. When divided, we _all_ fall.

            The history of the divided is coming to an end. An era for the united is approaching. Only time will tell if it is already too late.


	2. Homecoming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! 
> 
> So… I know I told you all that I would be back within seven days. I missed that mark. Sorry about that. It was actually a form of procrastination. I get nervous when you all are anticipating something. I always want to meet your expectations. I got nervous for the burrow chapters. I got nervous for the Flamel meeting. I got nervous for their wedding and I got nervous for Theo’s letter. That is why this chapter has come out later than intended. 
> 
> Actually, I was going to have this chapter be longer but I cut it into two chapters. I wanted the house meeting to be in its own chapter. 
> 
> Only warning that I have is to remember the names of the dead. The prologue of the first instalment listed some names. Two of those names will be brought up this chapter. They did not die in the original books. Well… one of them might have. It isn’t clear cut. Kind of but could leave room for interpretation. Anyways, that isn’t important. Besides this, there really isn’t anything else to say. 
> 
> Hopefully you enjoy.

            There was a deafening silence that caused several people to shift uneasily in their seats as Harry and Draco marched down between the Slytherin table and the wall.

            Remus and Severus shared a startled look upon seeing them. The rage radiating off of Draco was slightly surprising. For someone who keeps such a strict hold on emotions, it was unnerving to see him so angry. Neither one of them knew what to say.

            They were about half way towards the Slytherin table when a cry of their names was heard. With the Great Hall being so quiet, the shout echoed off the walls giving an eerie quality to the scene.

            “Harry!”

            “Draco!”

            The next thing either of them knew, they had an armful of Pansy and Blaise.

            Somehow, Harry managed to keep his fingers entwined with Draco and still hold onto Blaise as the other boy smothered him in an embrace. “I’m sorry.” Blaise and Pansy whispered at the same time.

            Draco tightened his hold on Pansy as he clenched his eyes tightly. The anger that had been about to break was put on hold as he held onto her. “I know.” He whispered. He knew they had meant well. “I am still pissed.” He warned them. Later, they would have a long discussion about this but for now, he held onto Pansy and reveled in the touch of his best friend. “But blimey, I missed you both.” He grabbed Pansy’s jaw and turned it till he could see her face clearly. There was no scar or any injuries, which had him relaxing slightly. Whatever had happened to her, had been able to be healed. Which was fortunate for his anger. If Draco had come back to see her harmed, the offender in question would have been seeing the afterlife sooner than they had originally planned.

            Pansy and Blaise let out weak watery chuckles as they traded places. Harry smiled as Pansy hugged him. He really had missed his friends. If only the two missing members of the quartet were here as well.

            “We missed you too.” They whispered back thickly.

            Blaise hung to Draco with a ferocity that surprised the blonde. “It’s alright.” Draco wasn’t entirely sure what he was reassuring, whether it be for their reappearance or for the happenings of Hogwarts.

            “No, it’s not.” Blaise argued. “Nothing is okay.” He hated the way his voice cracked. He hated the way he was feeling. For nearly a month he had shoved his own feelings down behind a false bravado of jokes and uncaring attitude. He had hidden his trepidation so that the younger students wouldn’t be scared. He had put up a false front so that no one would see that he was crumbling on the inside. You can only be in denial for so long before it all catches up to you.

            Pansy whimpered from her position in Harry’s arms. She hated the pain in Blaise’s voice. She wished she could do more for him. She wished things could be different. It wasn’t okay. The things being done here weren’t alright. There had been no solutions or easy fixes. No amount of research or sound reasoning could get anyone to see that what they were doing was wrong. For weeks, she had seen what the stress had done to not only her best friend but also the whole house. Life at the moment sucked balls and there was nothing she could do to make it better. Seeing Blaise like this would always be her downfall.

            The only thing keeping Draco remotely in control was Harry’s warm palm inside his own. The only thing keeping his magic from exploding outward was the knowledge of his soulmate next to him. Deep even breaths were attempted in a false aim at calm. Blaise had _never_ sounded so defeated before. Draco had to keep his eyes clenched to hold back the urge to attack. What, he wasn’t sure. Perhaps the whole school.

            Harry could feel a lot coming from his husband. It was so rapid and fast paced, that he had to concentrate intently just to cipher through it all. Anger was at the forefront. Something that hadn’t lessoned or dissipated since they had read Theodore’s letter. It seemed to increase when they actually set foot inside of the castle. Which didn’t worry him, he knew that Draco was justified in his anger. The only thing he could do was be here for his lover. He knew that he had to keep a check on his own emotions. Draco didn’t need to be distracted right now. He couldn’t close the bond, that would have a negative impact right now. Doing so would probably cause the thin control his lover had, to snap.

            Honestly, the students were extremely lucky that Draco did have a sense of control. Or else the whole place might be smashed by now. With how vast Draco’s anger truly was, Harry was impressed with the restraint that his husband had.

            “We will fix it.” Draco promised with conviction. Of that he was certain.

            The easy way he said it, had both Pansy and Blaise relaxing slightly. It was as if the weight that had been on their shoulders, instantly lifted. They felt lighter than they had in months.

            Pansy stepped back and looped her arm through Blaise’s and turned around to walk back to the table, leading the way for Harry and Draco.

            Abigail looked at the two new comers with something akin to awe. She stared at the two men with narrowed eyes. There was something sweet about the fact that their hands were still entwined. A gesture that was no doubt strategic as it was endearing. Subtlety was not with her at the moment as she deeply inhaled. The moment their faint smell reached her nose she frowned. There was something so foreign about their smells that it made no sense. What was going on?

            Several more inhales did nothing to answer her question It only caused frustration to mount. Abigail covered her face as she allowed her inner wolf to elongate her nose slightly, allowing part of her werewolf features to come out. It was a risky move with so many people around, but she needed her wolf’s sense of smell. Normally, she wouldn’t have even bothered but there was _something_ about the two men that had her so curious that she couldn’t stop herself. A quick look around the tables had her relaxing when no one was staring at her. Everyone seemed to be entranced with the two boys in question.

            Well almost everyone. A blonde eyebrow was lifted in amusement as Abigail met Luna’s eyes. She huffed, with most of her face still covered as she narrowed her eyes in annoyance at the sparkling blue eyes. She discovered that an amused Luna was worse than a vague one.

            Abigail looked away from Luna and pointedly ignored the breathy chuckle the girl released. She turned back to the two men that were walking down the aisle between the far wall and the Slytherin table. She carefully but slowly took a deep breath through her nose. It was a good thing her lower face had been covered, for it muffled the gasp she released when their full smell filled her nostrils and covered her in an invisible but tangible aura. Merlin, what was this? She had _never_ come across anything like this before. Why did they smell the _same_? This wasn’t like Millicent. The girl had smelt of her Vampire lover but still held her own smell too. These too didn’t have their own smells. These two were of one aroma and wasn’t that just odd?

            She furrowed her brows the longer she thought it over. Nothing was making sense. No thought process could formulate an answer. Not even vague explanations could make sense. Abigail huffed angrily at the lack of an answer. She shortened her nose back to normal and covered one ear as she elongated it enough to enhance the hearing in that ear.

            Abigail’s brows arched when she detected the same heartbeat. The same inhales. The same exhales. It was almost as if they really were one. She could detect something different about them when compared to other people but she couldn’t identify just what it was that made them different. The more she discovered about them, the more she grew frustrated at the lack of an explanation. Were they even human? How could two people be so in synch without it being manufactured?

            “Later.” Luna chided with a slight tsk.

            Abigail looked up in confusion as she retracted her wolf features and placed her hand back down in her lap.

            “Answers come to the patient.” There was a pause in which Luna tilted her head to the side as if considering something. “Unless of course when forced.”

            “What?” Abigail asked inelegantly. There was something about Luna that made her brain cells work in overdrive in an attempt to just _understand_.

            “You will know when you are meant to. Not before and certainly not now.”

            Abigail was considering taking back her previous thoughts. A vague Luna was not preferred. How could someone say such confusing things with a straight face? She sighed heavily when the message was clearly written. Patience wasn’t one of her strong suits. But it wasn’t as if she had come close to an answer anyways. She nodded her head once in understanding as she looked back to the boys that everyone else was staring at. Abigail sent a look to Remus to see how the man was taking the reappearance of his cub, since she doubted there was another Harry and Draco out there. What drew her attention wasn’t the pleasantly surprised expression on the other werewolf. No, what made her interest pique was the slack jawed look of Professor Hagrid and a short man that she had not been introduced to. It was obvious to her that the man was either part Goblin or Dwarf. Possibly even both.

            The two teachers were staring at Harry and Draco in a way that made Abigail petulantly pout. It was clear that they had figured out just what it was about the boys that made them different. She wondered if they would tell her if asked. A look towards Severus had her wondering if the man knew as well. She doubted that a lot would escape him.

                Severus felt eyes on him briefly and looked around until he caught sight of Abigail. He noticed her attention was on Hagrid and Filius. He leaned forward slightly till he could see their faces, only to pause at their ridiculous expressions. He hummed in thought as he wondered what they could possibly be so shocked about. Sure, Harry and Draco’s sudden appearance might be surprising but it didn’t warrant this level of awe. He jolted slightly when he realized that they must sense something about them. Something about their bond. He frowned at the thought that the boys were walking around without any type of dampening charm. He sighed internally at the discussion that he would have to have with the other two teachers.

            Remus knew from the barely there aroma of his cub and Draco, that they didn’t have any charms surrounding them or the bond. He wondered why but chose to put that further into the back of his mind. His inner wolf was so happy to see his cub that nothing else at the moment mattered. Talking to the pair had been one thing but to _see_ that they were safe and unharmed was even better. The _Evening Prophet_ had scared him. Never again did he want to see Harry in a position like that.

            A sudden thought had Remus pausing. If he could tell that their bond was open, then so could Hagrid and Filius. He looked to his left and winced at the wonder written on his friends’ faces. Hagrid looked like he had been confunded while Filius looked like he was staring at a rare jewel or ancient tome. This would take some explaining. He was highly curious, though. He wondered what they saw when they looked to the soulmates.

            “Harry what are you doing?!”

            Harry snapped his head up to see who had called out to him but it was hard to pinpoint who had been the one to speak. There were a lot of people staring at him. Actually, the whole school was staring. Lovely. It would appear that manners still wasn’t something parents taught.

            “Your table is over here.” A Gryffindor piped up. As if Harry had somehow forgotten where the Gryffindors were supposed to sit. As if he hadn’t sat there for six years. He looked to the guy curiously. He knew the boy was a year younger than him but he didn’t know him other than by sight.

            “I’ll be sitting with my husband. But thanks for your concern.” The sarcasm was thick and apparently offended a lot of people. Perhaps he was taking after some of Draco’s characteristics?

“Husband??”

“So it’s true.”

“I don’t believe it.”

“Malfoy must be using a love potion.”

“He is a traitor.”

“Maybe he really is going dark.”

“Skeeter was right.”

“You can’t mean that!”

            All the shouting honestly took Harry for surprise. He narrowed his eyes at the implications that Draco had done something to him. He hated that that was what people automatically assumed. Why were people so quick to blame without knowing facts? It is easy to assume but that doesn’t make it intelligent. What was with the blind faith of seeing something written and immediately making it an unwavering truth? Just because it is news doesn’t make it unbiased. Just because people _claim_ things in the name of unearthing the truth doesn’t actually make it true. Why was this a hard concept to follow? Why were there so many people willing to think as a group instead of as an individual? Looking at the mass of angry people made him fear for future generations.

            Draco narrowed his eyes in consideration at the hate filled glares being sent his way. This wasn’t new to him. Hate was something that he had been used to since a child. Being the son of a deatheater had always made him easily susceptible towards other people’s hostility. But… a lot of these stares went passed typical hatred of a student. Normally it is childish dislike that he sees inside Hogwarts. This though… wasn’t that. This was darker. The loathing being sent his way was something he honestly had never experienced before. These people loathed him with a vengeance, one that startled him. He knew he wasn’t the most morally bound person out there but surely, he had never done anything to warrant this kind of hatred.

            There was something about the stares that worried Draco. Some people were gazing at him as if he was a treat they had been longing for. Not in the way that Harry does either. This was… sinister. He was actually worried for his wellbeing the longer he stood here. He kept his free hand lowered but jerked his fingers slightly as he pulled a shield charm over the both of them. It wouldn’t hold out against any particularly violent spells but he didn’t think he would need that strong of a shield. It was Hogwarts after all.

            The feel of Draco’s magic had Harry turning to look at the blonde. He wasn’t sure what his husband had performed but the wariness and slight trepidation had him looking back to the students with a dangerous glare. Draco fearing for his safety didn’t sit well with Harry. He would unleash hell if anyone so much as shot a lumos in their direction. He didn’t fight in a war for this. He didn’t give his life for these people to take it out on his lover.

            Draco pushed out a big chunk of his magic into his senses. He knew that this was not the smartest thing to do. It wasn’t wise to mess with the senses of the body, or else the person could grow dependent on the magic. As long as he kept a tight control over what he was doing, he could prevent any symptoms from forming. The benefits far outweighed the risk. These vultures would not be getting the best of him, if he could help it.

            With his precautions in place, Draco used his heightened senses to keep a watch on all of the students. His hearing had been enhanced. His sight had been improved. His sense of smell was stronger. His magical sensory was doubled. However, there was a drawback to the improved senses. He was almost overwhelmed with all the extra onslaught of information. He could smell the stench of some people who hadn’t showered recently. He could hear the coughs, sniffles and clearing of throats across the room. He could feel the magic of _way_ too many people. There were bugs crawling on the outside of the window near the Hufflepuff table, something he normally would not be able to detect. It was a lot to process at one time. It was almost his undoing.

            When Draco was able to push past all of that, he detected Harry. Which he should have been able to do instantly, perhaps the onslaught had befuddled him a little. Harry… was indescribable. He could hear every beat of Harry’s heart, hear every inhale and exhale. His nostrils were invaded by the pure aroma that is his lover. He could detect his own smell all over Harry, which kick started a lot of primal instincts inside of himself. He could _feel_ Harry in ways that he hadn’t been able to since their souls connected fully for the first time. All of this coupled with the emotions of their bond, had him revisiting every single reason he loved this man. Every thought he had ever held for his soulmate. He was reliving _everything_.

            Belatedly, Draco realized that heightening his senses was probably not a good idea. He could drown himself inside of Harry and never want to leave. He couldn’t afford to be distracted right now. He couldn’t afford to get lost inside the wonders that make up his soulmate. Trying to pull away from all of this was harder than he thought it would be.

            Harry blinked rapidly at the sheer depth of emotions coming from his lover. He felt an abundance of things. It was actually a spectrum of feelings. He was having a hard time coming to grips with how many emotions Draco could feel in the span of a few minutes. He had no idea what was causing them but he knew it wasn’t normal. He knew that Draco must have done something. The question was, what?

            Draco was about to vanish all of the magic he had put into his senses when he heard a whisper of a spell from across the room. He shot his hand out on instinct and transfigured an empty plate into a large rock.

            There was a resounding boom as a bombarda made contact with his makeshift shield.

            The anger that had been simmering in the background of their bond exploded violently. Every single window of the Great Hall busted. Screams could be heard as glass came shattering down. Harry was furious that someone had the audacity to curse his husband. _Hell no._ He opened his mouth to speak up or do _something_ when he felt a jab of confidence in the bond. Draco wanted to handle it. He sent him the emotion back in understanding as he dropped his hand and leaned against the wall with his hands folded across his chest. He was curious.

            Draco pulled back a lot of the magic in his senses, so that he could concentrate fully. There was still some of it but not what it had once been a few seconds ago. He narrowed his eyes at the crumbled rock on the bench of the Slytherin table. He placed his hands on the table as he leaned forward.

            “What kind of coward shoots a bombarda full frontal without a duel?” Draco spat out angrily. There was a mixture of stares being sent his way. Some people refused to look up. Some looked back defiantly while others were scared. “What kind of coward doesn’t make his displeasure known before initiating an attack?” With each question, his voice grew quieter but also deadlier. “What kind of coward uses cheap shots instead of facing me like an adult?”

            Silence. This more than anything angered Draco. How pathetic to hide behind such cowardice. This spoke volumes. This was obviously someone who felt as if they wouldn’t win the fight fairly if they had to resort to such tactics.

            With his enhanced sensory, he felt out the magic that had made contact with the now broken rubble. Once he separated his own magical signature, he was confident that he had a result for a comparison. Draco pushed out his magic and felt out the students near him. It was disgusting to feel anyone’s magic that wasn’t his and Harry’s combined magic but he would just have to push past any discomfort.

            Harry was curious about what Draco was doing. He could feel Draco’s magic sweeping the room but he wasn’t sure what his lover meant by it.

            Draco let out a breathy exclamation when he branched out a little further and found an identical match. Triumph soared in his veins as he locked eyes on his attacker. Figures it would be a Gryffindor. Ironic, really.

            “Patil.”

            Harry snapped his gaze to his housemate with wide eyes. Why would Parvati have done that? He had never known her to be cruel. A gossiper with not much ambition but definitely not someone to attack like this.

            “Got something to say? Or are you going to be a bloody coward and curse me without proper dueling technique.” Draco questioned. He knew Patil knew the rules. The girl was a pureblood after all. He couldn’t fathom why she would risk their laws for a lapse in emotion. He tried to think of what he could have possibly done to her for the attack. Even when he used to go up against Harry, he never bothered with Patil. She wasn’t someone who had ever been on his radar. So what was with the hostility?

            “Don’t talk to her like that!” Several Gryffindors came to her defense.

            Draco looked to them incredulously. “Oh yes, my words are what is important here. Let’s just all forget the bombarda that was aimed at me.” He rolled his eyes at their stupidity. House comradery is something that he believes in but when the person is obviously in the wrong, sticking up for them only calls out your own shortcomings.

            “It’s your fault!” Parvati spit out as she came to her feet. “None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for you.”

            The statement had Draco arching a brow. “That was vague enough to be completely worthless.” He retorted with a shake of his head. “What exactly are you blaming me for?”            

            “Everything!” She shouted. She wasn’t the only one either. Several people from different houses said the same thing.

            “Just what is it you think I have done?” Draco demanded to know. “Because I will own up to it if it is legitimate.” He doubted there was much they could say that was his fault. He wasn’t the cause of the war. So they were out of luck there.

            “My sister is dead.” Parvati choked out as tears filled her eyes. “Padma lost her life fighting the scum who bear the same mark on your arm.” She turned her eyes to his left arm that was still on the table. The movement wasn’t as powerful as it should have been, since his arm was decked out in the colors of the _in perpetuum simul_ ceremony. A few people gasped at the sight of the different hues and beautiful lines upon his arm, while others were just confused as to what the colors meant.

            “I lost my sister that night along with Lavender, my best friend. The two people who meant the world to me. They gave their life defending the castle. They died trying to bring down the same people you _willingly_ joined. You are nothing but a monster who should have died in their place.”

            The words felt like a knife to the chest. Draco sucked in a sharp breath as he fought the emotions her words sprung forward. Monster. The word replayed in his mind on repeat.

            Harry shook his head rapidly at the pain, guilt and horror that was filling the bond. He hated that Draco was having to listen to this but he knew that his lover was going to have to be the one to fight this. If he spoke up now, it would appear as if Draco couldn’t fight his own battles. If he spoke up now, Draco might question the validity to the defense.

            “No.” Draco croaked out as he blinked rapidly. “I am _not_ a monster.” He hated that his voice wasn’t as strong as it once had been. He did not want to appear weak to them. He wouldn’t give them the benefit of seeing him as anything other than strong. They didn’t deserve it.

            “I didn’t kill them. I didn’t kill _anyone_.” Draco argued. “I didn’t injure, maim or murder a single person. Your sister and friend were brave and honorable. I will not speak ill of the dead, nor will I minimalize their sacrifice. They fought with bravery and deserved to be remembered as such.”

            Jaws dropped at his declaration. Draco ignored this. He didn’t care what they thought, not really. Harry’s opinion is the _only_ one he will ever care about.

            “My mistakes are not for your judgment. Yes, I was a deatheater. No, it wasn’t as willing as you would like to believe. No, I won’t explain my reasoning to you. Sometimes in life you have to choose the wrong path to ensure that you will be alive later on to go down the correct one.” The bigger meaning behind his words were lost on them. The anger in their faces hadn’t lessened nor had it bled to a contemplative thought process that he had hoped for.

            “I understand that you are angry at the lives that were taken well before their time. But I am not responsible for those lost lives. I was not the caster of the spell. I was not the one who ordered them there. I am not Voldemort. I am not the reason behind the war. I am not responsible for their deaths. Hate me all you want but at least be rational enough to realize that it is misplaced.”

            “Misplaced?” A boy with claw marks imbedded into his skin spoke up hysterically. The scars were obviously in the shape of a paw or hand. “You were a part of the very organization that did this.” He gestured to his face. “You were a deatheater. You are just as responsible as the casters themselves.”

            At the unison head nods, Draco furrowed his brows.

            “Your line of thinking eludes me.” Draco admitted in confusion. “You are blaming me for what someone else did? You choose to vilify me for things I have not done. Did _I_ curse you? Did _I_ scar you? Did _I_ do _anything_ to you?” He paused, hoping that this would sink in. “I cannot and will not be held responsible for someone else’s crimes. I will not be shoved into the same box as someone who actually did wrong. I will not be the person you are making me out to be.”

            Still, his words were met with distrust and anger. It was as if they were choosing to ignore the truth of his words just so that they had someone to be angry with. It was so childlike.

            “Greyback was a deatheater like you!” The boy argued. “He did this to me and he deserves to be held accountable just as much as you do.”

            Draco dropped his mouth open in surprise at the stupid words. “I am _not_ Greyback. I am _not_ the one who did this to you. He is the one who can be held accountable. He is the one who is in the wrong. He is the one you should be taking your anger out on. He is the one you need to be talking to. Not me. Besides, Greyback is dead.”

            The boy covered his mouth in shock as he sat down warily.

            Remus jerked in his seat as he stared at Draco rapidly. His mind was trying to cope with the knowledge that the man who bit him was dead. The man who he had hated his whole life was gone. Someone that had never felt guilty or showed remorse was gone, without having to pay for his crimes. He breathed out shakily when he felt Severus cover his hand with a warm palm. He gripped that hand tightly as he tried to gain control of his emotions.

            “The werewolf council took him out for the crimes that he committed while here.” Draco told them. He shot a look to the high table and shot Remus an apologetic look. He would have liked to tell the man that himself and not like this.

            There were several confused faces seen all around. Mostly it was the muggleborns who weren’t aware of the existence of a werewolf council.

            “Is there something else that you would like to blame on me? Something else that I haven’t done.” His sharp tongue was almost a reflex, it was a weapon as much as it was a defense.

            “You killed Dumbledore.” Someone shouted.

            There was a small part of his brain that deflated a little bit at the accusation. Draco _knew_ that he wasn’t responsible for the man’s death. Dumbledore would have died no matter what he did or didn’t do. The curse to his arm was running to a close, that coupled with whatever potion was in the cave would have killed him. Despite the truth to his own thoughts, he would _always_ feel guilty for the attempts he had made on the old man’s life.

            “That’s a lie.” Harry spoke up loudly. He knew that Draco didn’t need his help in the discussion but he was not about to have his lover feel guilty for this. He himself had warred constantly over his own guilt when it came to that night on the tower.

            “I was there that night and Draco didn’t kill Dumbledore.”

            A few people looked confused at Harry’s defense. As if they couldn’t grasp the idea of him coming to the defense of a past deatheater. Draco would dub these ones the morons who hadn’t realized that Harry was not who they thought him to be.

            “He was the one who let in the deatheaters that night. He is the one that made it possible for the events to take place. If he hadn’t allowed them entry than Snape never would have been in a position to kill Dumbledore.” Hermione spoke up confidently.

            Harry narrowed his eyes at Hermione. He didn’t appreciate her input at the moment. After the disaster of a dinner they last had, he figured she would at least _try_ to make up for it. This was a negative strike against her.

            “You are wrong.” Draco told her firmly. On the inside, he was hating the fact that she had said that. He was hating the fact that portions of what she said made his guilt increase.

            “Whether it happened that night or a different night, the result would have been the same. There are circumstances that you are unaware of that would have caused Professor Snape to have to kill Dumbledore anyways.” He wouldn’t tell them about the unbreakable vow. Doing so would reestablish his position as a deatheater and make the situation worse. He _knew_ that Granger was aware of all of this anyways. She was only aiming at causing trouble. Feeding the fire of the anger that they wanted to scorch him under.

            “I may have let them into the castle but I am not responsible for what they did while inside. I did not tell them who or what to attack. I did not hold a wand to their heads and order them about. I was _forced_ into allowing them entrance. It may not be the type of situation your feeble minds can understand but do try and see the depths to it all before just saying things.” He retorted. He smirked internally at the anger on her face.

            “Because you were a deatheater.” Ron and Seamus said in unison. This caused a fresh wave of people to stand up and wave their fists angrily.

            “We have been over this.” Draco uttered with a roll of his eyes. “Yes, I was a bloody deatheater.” Good grief he was sick of hearing this. It was not news, it was not something that would shake his foundation. It was facts. He had been a deatheater. Everybody knew this. How many times was that going to be thrown in his face? They uttered the sentence as if he had not known that he was a deatheater. As if it was somehow a surprise. As if he had just woken up one day and was permanently marked for the rest of his life. Morons, the lot of them.

           “I would like to remind you all, that it is not a crime to be a deatheater nor is it illegal to be one.” A few people sat down in surprise.

            “By law, you cannot hold a follower of an organization responsible for the crimes the leader has done. Unless the individual in question has been _witnessed_ doing wrong. I have not broken any laws nor have I committed any crimes. By law, I cannot be held responsible for the acts of the other deatheaters. I cannot be held responsible for the things Voldemort himself had done. Being a deatheater does not automatically make me guilty. Being a deatheater does not make me a criminal.”

            “Just because you worm your way out of the law doesn’t mean you are innocent.”

            Draco looked to Goldstein, who had spoken, with a look he usually regarded for idiotic muggles who are prejudiced.

            “Because that makes sense.” Draco snarked with a roll of his eyes. “I abide by the law but am still treated as a criminal. I literally broke zero laws and yet you treat me as if I have. I was tried by the Wizengamot and found _innocent_. Does that mean _nothing_ to you?” The only reason he had been found innocent was because of Harry’s abilities in defending him. He would like to believe that he still would have been found innocent if his lover hadn’t been there. He really had broken no laws.

            “They should have sent you to Azkaban.” The boy with the scars down his face spoke up.

            “Whether you agree or disagree with the ruling, it matters none.” Draco retorted with narrowed eyes. “It matters none if you think that I got off too easy. It matters none if you feel as if I was not punished. It matters none what you think, because you are _not_ the law. Your opinion of me is just that, an opinion. If you feel like a mistake was made, then by all means, write to the Magical Law Enforcement. They are the only ones who give a damn. They are the only ones that have the power to do something about it.” He wasn’t going to point out that he couldn’t be tried for the same crimes. He wasn’t going to point out that the Law Enforcement probably didn’t give a fuck either.

            “But what you can’t do, is punish me where you see fit.” Draco spat out. “What you can’t do is attack me just because _you_ are angry. In doing so, violates _my_ rights.” He looked to Parvati. “Do _not_ do something so foolish again. Because I can and will take you to the Wizengamot.”

            “You can’t do that.” Hermione argued with a book on her lap. “It was on school property and up to the teachers and Headmistress to decide a punishment.”

            “That is where you are wrong.” Draco told her with a smirk. Salazar, he loved being able to tell her that. “She broke dueling laws when sending that spell at me. She did not follow proper protocol. There are strict rules that are to be followed. If she has a problem with me that cannot be handled like civilized adults, then a duel is to be established. A time is to be set, seconds are to be picked and witnesses are to be required. She did _none_ of this. To attack someone without any provocation or any _legal_ reason, is against quite a few laws. There is not a single legal excuse that can be cited to explain away her attack. There is not a single provocation that can be quoted for her spell. She was in the wrong and I _can_ press charges.”

            Parvati sat down nervously as she shot panicked looks around the room. As if she was only now realizing her mistake.

            “The _only_ reason I won’t is because I was not harmed. If that spell had hit me then we would be discussing this in court. I realize that emotions are high and anger is heady. Which is why I am letting this go, but make no mistake, if someone so much _attempts_ a curse at me without following proper protocols, I _will_ have you in court faster than you can blink.”

            A lot of people began shifting in their seats. No doubt upset that they might have to face legal ramifications for what they have been wanting to do to him.

            “Not just me either.” Draco stood up straight as he clenched his fists. “If a single person so much as breathes a spell at _my_ Slytherins without an academic reason, I _will_ see you in front of the Wizengamot.”

            A lot of snorts and rolled eyes were seen as people disregarded the threat. Draco narrowed his eyes. “You think I am kidding, do you? Every single person who has attacked a Slytherin since the beginning of school without following dueling protocol has broken laws. Just as Patil did. If you think just because you have gotten away with it up until now, that it means you have somehow won, you are mistaken. All of you are bloody cowards who are no better than the deatheaters you claim to be better than.”

            This was not met will the other students. There were shouts of denial and name calling being slurred.

“Slytherins are all evil!”

“Bastard!”

“You would protect scum just like yourself.”

“They deserve it!”

“You can’t stop us!”

            The ignorant words fueled Draco’s anger. His magic slowly began to seep out of him without his consent. It started off as just a few plates rattling, or empty cups being knocked over but it quickly became a jerking of tables and air slashing heavily throughout the room, picking up broken glass. The display had the shouts dispelling and some even cowering. People looked between Harry and Draco, as if wondering which one of them had performed the magic.

            “You people make me sick.” Draco spat out in a whisper that carried around the room. “What gives you the _right_ to treat people the way you have been? What nonsense has entered your daft brains to think that it is okay to treat another human being in the manner you have been? You think because the majority of Voldemort’s followers were Slytherin, that it must mean _all_ of us are? What kind of morons are you?”

            It was a testament to how nervous they were that no one said a single word against the insult.

            “That is like saying that all purebloods are dark wizards. That is like saying that all muggles are horrible. That is like saying that all muggleborns are stupid.” The last one was his own personal jab that had his mouth twitching. It probably wasn’t the proper time for that but he couldn’t restrain himself. The moment had been too good to pass up. Especially when Granger narrowed her eyes. There was a long-suffering sigh from Harry that would have made his humor go up if he wasn’t so angry with the students.

            “Blaming all Slytherins for the actions of a few is one of the most idiotic things I have _ever_ heard. There were Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw deatheaters.” Several people jerked in shock. “Why is it you idiots are only caring about the Slytherin ones?” This was something that Draco would never be able to understand.

            “Why is it okay to single out the Slytherin deatheaters but overlook the rest? Just because they are the majority? Just because you don’t want to see the truth of the matter? Because then you would realize that you have been vilifying innocent people.”

            “They aren’t innocent!” A few people argued hotly.

            “Really?” Draco drawled with a sigh that clearly said they were stupid and wasting his time. “What exactly have they done? They didn’t fight in the war. They weren’t deatheaters. They didn’t hurt anyone during the battle. They are _not_ to be blamed for something that other people have done. They are _not_ the ones who were responsible for the war. Nor are they even remotely guilty of a single crime. Us being Slytherins does _not_ give you a blanket excuse to degrade somebody.”

            “How would you feel if I shot curses at you whenever I felt like it because you have brown hair?” Draco asked the kid with scars. “Someone with brown hair was evil so that must mean that _all_ people with brown people are evil. Who cares if you are innocent. Who cares if you did nothing wrong. Who cares that I am generalizing instead of realizing that it is _idiotic_ to blame an entire color of hair instead of the actual person who did me wrong. Do you see how silly that is? Do you see how bloody stupid it is to blame the Slytherin house for the war when they weren’t a part of it?”

            “Someone has to be held accountable!”

            Draco sighed heavily as he shook his head. “Then go after the ones responsible!” He yelled in frustration. “The ones who have been caught have been tried and are in Azkaban. The ones who ran are being chased down by Aurors. What more do you want?” He ran his hands through his hair. “Taking your anger out on innocent people makes you no better than the people who are locked away. How can you look in the mirror without flinching? How can you be okay with who you are as a person when you take away the dignity of others? How can you go around destroying other people’s inner light because _you_ feel as if they deserve it. People who have done nothing to you.” He shook his head in disbelief at his own words. It didn’t make sense. How could _all_ of these people think it is okay?

            There were a few uneasy looks and shifting glances. Looks that had Draco sighing in relief. At least a tiny amount of his words were sinking in.

            Draco looked around sadly. “You are angry. I get it. You are hurt. I get it. You want an outlet, you want someone to be held responsible. I get it. You want to vent your frustrations. I get it, believe me, I do.” He held out his hands in a gesture of understanding as his eyes begged them to listen.

           “But us Slytherins aren’t responsible. We are not the ones you are really angry with. You are upset that there isn’t someone who you can legitimately take your anger out on. Voldemort is dead. He didn’t have to pay for his crimes. He didn’t have to see the hurt he caused. He didn’t have to see the grieving families gutted by their losses. He didn’t get to know the pain you are living with every day. He didn’t have to see the dead bodies his worthless cause accomplished. He didn’t get the justice he deserved. You were robbed of a chance to vent your anger and pain on the one responsible. He was stopped before further harm could be done. He was stopped before more lives were taken. It isn’t the end that you were hoping for, nor is it the way he deserved to go. He deserved to _see_ just what kind of horror he brought upon the world. He deserved to be punished before dying.” Draco breathed out a little shakily.

            “Unfortunately life doesn’t work out how we want. He died before ever really knowing what kind of harm he wrought. This angers you. It frustrates your mind as you try and grapple with your own grief. Anger is not a way to overcome the horrors the war brought you. Anger is an illusion as well as it is a distraction. It is a stage of grief and it was one that you have to realize before you can truly move on. The deatheaters who harmed you, your family and your friends, _they_ are the ones you need to be angry with. _They_ are the ones you need to realize are responsible. Not us. Not innocent people. We aren’t saints nor are we innocent in all aspect of the word. I won’t pretend that we have never done wrong nor will I pretend that we are angels. But we _are_ innocent of the things that you are condemning us to.”

            There was an uncomfortable pause as Draco’s speech was coming to a close. Draco had said all that he really wanted to say to the students. He sighed heavily before turning to the head table.

            “What about last year?” Ginny piped up with a lot of hate as she looked to Draco. “You Slytherins were the ones _punishing_ us when the Carrows gave the go ahead. Not innocent there, are you?”

            Draco turned back around as he arched a brow. “You act as if we had a choice. Saying no to the Carrows would have resulted in the same punishment they wanted us to dish out. You think I am figuratively speaking? We were punished. We said no. Perhaps not all of us.” He grimaced thinking back to Vincent and Gregory. Who had rather liked punishing other students.

            “The ones here, though.” Draco gestured to the Slytherin students sitting as close to one another as they could. “They didn’t participate in that. Only sixth and seventh years were _asked_ to punish.” The venom in his voice when he uttered the last few words increased.

            “The ones who willingly went along with what they were told are not here. The ones who only participated in non-lethal punishments are the ones remaining. We didn’t ask to be a part of that. We didn’t choose to. We didn’t want that. We aren’t heartless. We were subjected to the same punishments when we argued. Don’t think that you are the only ones who suffered because your punishments were out in the open. What happens behind closed doors doesn’t mean we didn’t suffer. Last year was hell for you just as much as it was for us. The Carrows liked to parade a unified front when in all actuality, it was a tangled mess.” He looked back to the smallest amount of Slytherins he had ever seen with a sad sigh.

            “The ones you have been hurting, didn’t harm you. The ones you are hurting didn’t deserve the punishment you are dishing. Revenge is ugly and evil. Which your own reflection will show.” Draco shook his head at the thunderous looks. It was as if they disregarded all logic. There was nothing more he had to say on the subject of the Carrows.

           “Also.” Draco began in a hard tone as he looked to the high table and locked eyes on McGonagall.

            “I would like it to be known that I _will_ take Hogwarts to court if a _single_ one of the Slytherins are continued to be harmed without consequences. It is the responsibility of the teachers to see that students are safe within these walls. Countless cases of students being attacked without proper dueling etiquette has been happening since the beginning of the school. Not only is it the duty of the teachers to punish the attackers, but it is also the duty of the teacher to report it to the headmaster. It is the duty of the Headmistress to place an inquiry and it is also the duty of the Headmistress to report to the Ministry if laws are being broken on Hogwarts grounds. This may be a private institution but it is not above the law. Crimes happening on this property not only affect the lawbreaker but also the school itself. If action is not taken, the Ministry has grounds to shut it down.”

            McGonagall stood up angrily.

            “Are you threatening the school Mister Malfoy?” The anger in her voice did not intimidate him nor did it make him back down.

            “I am telling you the truth, ma’am. You have been in neglect of your duties and I have four teachers who will back up this claim along with the _entire_ Slytherin house that will bear witness to what has been happening.” He was gambling slightly. He knew that Theo’s letter had said that Severus, Remus, Flitwick and Hagrid were the only ones helping the Slytherin students. So, he was counting on them to back him up if it had to come to the Wizengamot.

            A teacher that Draco did not know stood up and glared at him. She had auburn hair pulled into a bun and sharp, dark brown eyes trained on him. “Four teachers compared to the rest of us?” She gestured to the rest of the teachers at the table. “One house compared to the rest?” She waved her hand towards the three remaining houses. “That is quite a long shot.”

            Harry tilted his head to the side as he stepped up. He sent a jab in the bond, it was more of a polite knock. He was asking if Draco wouldn’t mind him speaking up. When he felt a rush of openness, he knew that Draco welcomed any help he could provide.

            “With all due respect, I have no idea who you are.” Harry piped up as he wrapped his arms around Draco’s waist and held on tightly. He didn’t bother to wait for her response. “But I am positive that you know who I am.” He watched the lady pause and stare at him in a calculating manner.

            “I would like to stress the importance of credibility. I may have been a witness during the trial for Draco but let it be known that my own research proved fruitful for the outcome. We both are very knowledgeable when it comes to the law. We know what we are talking about.” He told her with furrowed brows.

            “Yes, your numbers are stronger than ours but we have the truth to back up our claim. We will use memories, priori incantatem to verify spell work and we are within our rights to request Veritaserum.” There was a flash of panic that engulfed her eyes that had both Harry and Draco smirking as one. Something that had several people looking at them in surprise.

            “There _is_ a law that was implemented in 1920 that prevents witnesses from being subjected to Veritaserum during a trial.” He paused to watch hope spring up before continuing. “However, it is only applicable if there is _proof_ of the witness lying. With the evidence we will compile and the memories that prove our claims, _all_ of you can be required to take Veritaserum in court.”

            There was an uneasy silence that filled the room. One that Harry and Draco rather liked. It was one that they knew their points were finally sticking in somewhat.

            “What has been happening here is despicable, cruel and downright wrong.” Draco spat out angrily. “Students being vilified for no reason!” He watched McGonagall narrow her eyes and it angered him.

            “Children being punished for doing nothing! Children so scared to walk around alone that they can’t go anywhere without being attacked! What kind of school are you running here? What kind of headmistress are you? What kind of person can see injustice and do nothing? What kind of person are you? How can you sleep at night knowing that you are partly responsible for the suffering going on? What is _wrong_ with you?” Draco was nearly pleading for her to come up with something that would make it okay. He was asking for some kind of rational thought here.

            “They were venting out their frustrations. It makes sense that people would be upset and angry.”

            Harry and Draco shared incredulous looks as well as feelings in the bond.

            “Innocent people!” Draco snarled. “They were taking out their frustrations out on people who have done nothing wrong!” He couldn’t understand the thought process. He couldn’t fathom what she was thinking.

            “It doesn’t matter what you were thinking.” Draco saw the way she bristled and he shook his head. “The school board of Governors _will_ be notified of what has been happening here. The Ministry _will_ be notified of what has been going on. If things of this nature continue to happen, then prepare for the consequences. I am not threatening you. I am _telling_ you.” He marveled at the fact that he had just called out the Headmistress in front of the school. Gutsy.

            A few low whistles were released at his gall. Which had Draco’s mouth twitching.

            “Fifty points from Slytherin for speaking to a teacher like that.” The woman who neither of them knew spoke up.

            Draco acknowledged this with a tilt of his head. “That is your prerogative.” He admitted. Points meant nothing to him. The house cup paled in comparison to the suffering of his Slytherins. What did a stupid cup matter when injustice was happening?

            He looked pointedly away from her and locked his eyes on obsidian ones. “Article 5 is required.” Draco’s tone was firm. It was not a question, it was a demand.

            Severus looked to his godson with a mixture of curiosity and pride. He nodded his head once before leaning over to whisper in Remus’ ear. “I will be back in time to say goodnight to Teddy.”

            Remus searched his lover’s eyes but saw no worry in them. He nodded his head once. “I love you.” He whispered. “Stay safe.” He had no idea what Article 5 was but he was still worried. Remus would never stop worrying about him.

            Black eyes softened at the declaration. “I love you as well.”

            The moment Severus lifted out of his chair, the entire Slytherin house stood in unison.

            “Minerva, I have an emergency house meeting.” Severus told her shortly, not bothering to hear a reply before he started walking down the house tables.

            Draco knew he was breaking house rules by taking Harry to a Slytherin meeting but he couldn’t do it without his soulmate. He just couldn’t. He needed Harry right now. Especially with the way his magic has yet to settle down. He waited until Severus was level with them before he entwined his fingers with Harry and followed him out the Great Hall.

            The door slammed shut when the last Slytherin had left the room. A silence followed, one that was filled with tension. People weren’t sure what to think or what it entailed.

            “I am going to kill Pansy and Blaise.” Abigail mumbled to Luna and Neville. “They never _once_ mentioned that Harry was Harry Potter.” Harry is a rather common name. It had never occurred to her that Remus’s cub was freaking Harry Potter.

            “I thought it would be rather obvious.” Luna dreamily told her, eyes wandering around the room.

            Neville bit his lip at the outraged look on the younger girl’s face and had to muffle his snicker.

            “Are you sure you aren’t a foe?” Abigail retorted with a huff.

            The light laughter Luna released had several people looking around wondering what could possibly be funny at a time like this.

            “I rather like you, Addie.” Luna whispered softly with a pat to the head.

            For some reason, this pleased Abigail. She really could see herself friends with the odd enigma that was Luna Lovegood.

            “Do you think they will keep the windows like this?” Luna mumbled. “I like the breeze wafting in.”

            Neville and Abigail shared a look before they pointedly looked away, neither one responding. Although they both held fond grins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. 
> 
> So a couple things. This might not be as angry as you were all hoping but there is a lot of emotions that were involved. I could have hyped it up further but I feel like after Draco explained the legal ramifications of what would happen if they hurt him, that it would be stupid of anyone to actually attack him. I could have had Draco return the attack on Patil but he was using logic here instead of going off in anger. It sets up the motion for the duel explanations. 
> 
> The dueling bit. I will go into a lot more details on that in a little bit. I can’t exactly say it will be in the next chapter but it might. Duels are something that isn’t really explained a whole lot in the books. Oh, they are there but the rules behind them aren’t. In the first book, Ron had mentioned a few things about duels but then we don’t see that later on in the books. 
> 
> Think of duels like you would an attack in our world. If there isn’t an actual reason for it, you can’t just attack someone. Self-defense, yes. If you are stopping someone who is running from the law, yes. If you are stopping someone else from harming someone, yes. I like to look at duels the same way. You can’t just attack without breaking laws. There would be strict set ups for a duel and both parties would be aware of them. 
> 
> Abigail. I will continue to have her think of herself that way and also write it that way for a reason. I can’t write Adeline unless it is someone who doesn’t know her real name. She is Abigail in her heart. So if you see the two different names, that is why. I don’t mean to confuse you but I just can’t think of her as Adeline. She is my Abigail. So she will be Adeline to the public but in her own mind she is Abigail. If that makes sense. 
> 
> Also, do keep in mind that she can change parts of her body outside of the full moon. A few chapters ago, Remus explained that he could not. That is because her mother was an original. So what she did to her senses was NOT the same thing that Draco did. I explained somewhat in the third chapter of the last installment that it is dangerous to mess with eyesight. Draco had done that to look closer at Cian. 
> 
> There might be some confusion on their smell. To Abigail and other werewolves, they can smell the bond. They smell as if they are the same person. To Harry and Draco, they can tell a difference. Whether it be a side effect of the bond or it’s in their head, either way, there is a difference to them. 
> 
> Parvati’s blood status is never really mentioned in the books. I found some stuff online that say her and her sister were either half-bloods or pureblood. There is some bits mentioned where Pansy called out Parvati in one of the books. It was the way she said it that had a familiarity to it. Which leads me to guess that they are purebloods. It’s just a guess. Either one will work but for the sake of the story, she is a pureblood. 
> 
> Do remember that Joseph told Harry and Draco in chapter one of the last installment that Greyback died. That is where that knowledge came from. 
> 
> You may be wondering how they had their bond dimmed during Disney World but is inactive now. Don’t worry, I will explain that during the next chapter. 
> 
> This was not a cure all. There will still be tensions and there will still be problems inside of Hogwarts. But it IS a start. A seed was planted and people will begin to think differently. 
> 
> Draco is a snarky git and I wouldn’t want him any other way. 
> 
> Let me know what you thought. I will write back to all of the comments from the last chapter, just give me a little time. 
> 
> -XxTheDarkLordxX


	3. Evasive Loopholes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, sorry for the delay in the chapter. It wsn't as long of a wait as last one. SO there is that. *Shrugs*
> 
> Enjoy.

            Harry could feel eyes on his back and he didn’t like it. The stares felt weighted. Whether it was several people or just a few, he didn’t know. The urge to turn around and meet the gazes was strong but he ignored this. He wasn’t worried about what the Slytherins would do to him. He knew that Draco would maim someone if he was harmed. Not that he needed the protection. It was a little odd, though. This was the house that disliked him the most during the past, and yet he was going to their common room anyways. He wasn’t sure how he would be greeted. Would they accept him? Would they dislike him still? Did they think he had done something to Draco? Was it the opposite of the rest of the school? Were they going to judge him? He wasn’t sure what to expect. The unknown was making him very nervous.

            It wasn’t as if he was expecting the worst. Harry had already come to the realization that he had been horribly ignorant when it came to Slytherins. He had never bothered to dig deeper, only seeing what he wanted to see. Only seeing what everyone else thought of them. Never having his own opinion. The guilt of never paying attention simmered lowly in his stomach. That combined with the anxiety of the situation, was causing his emotions to go a little out of control.

            Draco furrowed his brows at Harry’s odd emotions. The boiling anger of his own feelings were strong, but he wasn’t so far-gone that he didn’t notice his husband. It was almost a distraction tactic, he paused his own emotions as he concentrated on Harry’s. Sometimes emotions weren’t as clear cut as some people would like to believe. The thought process behind them is what he was hoping to understand right now. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why Harry would be nervous. Let alone guilty.

            “What’s going on inside that pretty head of yours, love?” Draco whispered. Unfortunately, the hallway of the dungeons were too quiet, causing the whisper to echo around them. He heard a few snorts but didn’t bother to turn around to see who they were. Draco lifted his hand up over his shoulder in a two-fingered salute as a retort. This time the laughter had been extended to even more people. Draco smirked as he shook his head. Salazar he missed these people.

            Harry bit his lip as he debated on how to answer that. There was a lot going on inside of his mind. He wasn’t sure how to articulate it all. Also, he didn’t fancy giving the whole house an insight into his turbulent emotions. He didn’t know them well enough for that. “I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”

            It wasn’t necessarily the statement that had Draco coming to a standstill. It was the near lie. They never lied to each other. Never. It was pointless when the other person could _feel_ it. Not to mention it was just downright insulting. He couldn’t exactly say that it was a lie now, but it wasn’t exactly the truth either. Their bond wasn’t sure what to make of the statement either. There were parts that _had_ seemed like an omission and then there were parts that seemed like the truth. It was confusing.

            Luckily, Severus had paused at the entrance to the common room, making their stop in the hallway not obstructive.

            Draco cupped Harry’s cheek as he leaned in till he could see the undertones of Harry’s eyes. “Try that again with different words this time. Preferably the truth.”

            There was no anger or even hurt in the bond at Draco’s words. Which was encouraging for Harry. He sighed heavily as he looked to left to see Severus conversing with the wall. It was kind of odd to see the man do something so weird. When Draco dropped their combined hands to place his palm on his other cheek as well, Harry looked into patient grey eyes.

            “I’m nervous.” Harry whispered as he pressed their foreheads together.

            Draco’s mouth twitched. “Angel, I know this.” He pointed out with a mental eye roll. He could feel the nerves in the bond. “I want to know why, and where is the guilt coming from?” He couldn’t figure out what the two emotions had to do with anything. It was an odd combination.

            Harry looked to the right to see that every single Slytherin were staring at them. Lovely. Most of them were looking at them as if they were an illusion. The disbelief was pretty odd coming from normally unshakable people.

            Draco furrowed his brows when Harry looked to his housemates. It was a silent explanation as well as a nervous gesture. Why would his Slytherins make Harry nervous or guilty? Or possibly both?

            The confusion in the bond let Harry know that Draco was not going to give up the subject. He knew he wouldn’t be able to convince his lover to talk about it later either. They both knew that would mean it would never get talked about. He waved his hand in the air and placed a silencing charm around the two of them.

            The patience hadn’t left Draco, which was the only thing keeping Harry going. He loved this man.

            “I have always been someone who advocates for people. I am always standing up for others who are in need or because it is the right thing to do.” Draco nodded along, this much he knew. His husband was always going out of his way for others.

            “I thought it was just a keen eye that led me to seeing those in need but it that isn’t true. I was a hypocrite. Everything I believed in would dictate the knowledge of the Slytherin suffering. Only, I never bothered to _see_. I don’t know if that is because I didn’t try or just innocent ignorance. It doesn’t matter which one is true, they both suck. How can I be this persona of good but yet shun an entire house on the basis of opinions and not facts?”

            Draco dropped his mouth open in surprise. He went to speak but a finger to his lips had him pausing.

            “I was wound up in the suffering of everyone else. I was so far up my own arse that I didn’t _see_ the bigger picture. I failed the Slytherins in my plight to save everyone else.” Harry looked down to his feet. He didn’t want to see the emotions in Draco’s eyes any more than he wanted to feel them at the moment.

            “No.” Draco argued with a shake of his head. “No, love.” He slid a finger under Harry’s chin so that he could see the eyes he loved so much. “You saw what we wanted you to see. You didn’t see the bigger picture because we didn’t paint one.” He pressed a kiss to his husband’s nose.

            “Would it have been nice for someone outside of the house to see what was going on? Absolutely.” He sighed at the renewed guilt coming from his soulmate. “You had a lot on your plate Harry. You can’t save everyone.”

            The last sentence would always be Harry’s weakness. “Why not?” He argued. “I want to.”

            Draco smiled sadly. “I know, baby. But it isn’t possible. You can’t save those who don’t want to be saved.” At Harry’s confusion, he elaborated. “We don’t associate our problems outside of the house. We don’t speak of things to outsiders. If you didn’t see it on your own, then we sure wouldn’t have mentioned it. That is just the Slytherin way. We defend ourselves.”

            The ‘because no one else will’ was left out but clearly heard. Harry sighed heavily. “If I _had_ done things differently while still here, then maybe the mess back there wouldn’t be happening.”

            “Harry.” Draco glared at him angrily. “Don’t you _dare_ take any of the blame from those absolute pricks. None of that is on you. None of that is because you didn’t try harder. Merlin, sometimes I swear you are a masochist.” He shook his head roughly, hard enough that blonde locks fell down.

            “The guilt you have shouldn’t be because you didn’t do more. If you are upset that you listened to others before forming your own opinion, then fix it. Change who you used to be and make up for it. You can’t change the past, worrying about it isn’t going to help you. It will only cause issues in the long run.” Draco smiled softly when Harry gently placed his hair back into place.

            “If you are upset that you didn’t see us Slytherins for who we are, then change that. Get to know us and form new opinions.”

            There was a flash of determination in the bond, one that let Draco know that Harry was going to prove himself. He leaned forward and captured Harry’s lips in a gentle kiss.

            Before either of them could really enjoy the kiss, a weak stinging hex was shot at both of them. They jerked in shock before glaring at Severus, who still had his wand pointed at them. Draco waved away the silencing charm as he narrowed his eyes.

            “If you two are done making a spectacle of yourselves, can we take this inside?” Severus snarked as he gestured them forward into the common room.

            Draco wrapped an arm around Harry’s waist as they began walking through the now open door of the wall. “I don’t mind continuing to kiss Harry inside. Should prove to be a comfier area.”

            The long drawn out sigh caused both boys to snort in amusement.

            Severus was beginning to question why he had missed the two of them in the first place.

            Being back inside the Slytherin common room was almost nostalgic for Draco. He took in the wide extensive space with lingering eyes. The low light that gave an almost iridescent glow to the room. The black high back chairs that accented the decor of green and silver. The kindling fire giving a warm and cozy atmosphere. The windows that gave off a dark and murky color that should be creepy but meshed well with the ambiance. The swimming animals that whizzed by the window in a distracting but soothing manner. The tables lined around the walls that still held pieces of homework or discarded chess boards. There was a sense of belonging that filled him when he took in everything the room had to offer. It made him ache in several different ways.

            During Draco’s last year at Hogwarts, things had been so hectic and hard for him. He hadn’t been able to enjoy actually being at school. During the height of the war, he didn’t think he would live to see Hogwarts again. So being back here was different. Part of him wished he was still away from the school, still exploring the world with his wonderful husband. But the rest of him ached for his housemates who had been here suffering. A flash of guilt filled him at the thought. He had been gallivanting all around the world, having the best time of his life while his friends were being harmed.

            Harry stepped up to the bottom of the stair case that would lead up to the rooms before stopping. He had wanted to make enough room for the Slytherins and figured this was as good of a spot as any. He whipped his head up to stare at Draco when he felt guilt. It was a reversal of emotions and he wasn’t sure what had caused it.

            “Don’t do that.” Harry whispered as he pulled Draco into his arms. He ignored the curious stares. He knew they were being seen as some kind of entertainment right now, but that couldn’t be helped.

            “But Harry.” Draco argued. “I wasn’t here.” This was hard to swallow. There was a sense of wrong that filtered through him at the knowledge that he had been the only one to not suffer. He had been having fun while his friends were fighting a battle that he should have been here for.

            “Yes but that isn’t on you.” Harry retorted as he ran a gentle hand across a pale cheek. “We didn’t know what was happening. You can’t blame yourself for not being aware. That is silly.” He ignored the fact that he was basically saying the same thing that Draco had told him outside. It would appear that they both liked to take on the problems of the world.

            Draco bit his lip as he heard the truth of the statement. He knew Harry was right but his feelings hadn’t caught up to his mind just yet.

            “No one blames you.” Harry pressed. How could they? It wouldn’t make sense. “And if for some reason they do, well, they can take it up with me.”

            This brought a startled laugh from Draco. He smiled a little reluctantly as he placed a chaste kiss to Harry’s lips. “I love you.” He whispered thickly as he pushed gratitude into the bond. He could always count on his soulmate to cheer him up.

            Harry grinned widely as he nuzzled the side of Draco’s face. “I love you too.”

            “Salazar can’t you keep your hands to yourself for five minutes?” Severus shook his head at the duo. “We have things to discuss.” He reminded them when they broke apart to stare at him. “You can spend all night being nauseatingly sweet _after_ the meeting.”

            Draco shared an amused look with Harry before they looked to the man. “We missed you too.” They said in unison.

            “You know.” Harry began mischievously. Something that had Draco smiling softly and Severus looking at him warily. “These past weeks have left me a little affection deprived.”

            “No.” Severus shook his head firmly while Draco, Pansy and Blaise cracked up. A second’s pause was the only warning Severus had before he suddenly had an armful of Harry.

            A few shocked gasps had Harry grinning widely as he stared up into Severus’s eyes. He knew they must look a sight. Former deatheater being hugged by the savior of the world, the very same man who had a public dislike of said savior.

            “How’s Remus?” Harry wondered seriously. He had missed that man something fierce. “He’s okay?” With the _Venadere_ out there, he had worried about Remus constantly.

            Severus softened at Harry’s words. He sighed heavily as he wrapped his arms around the young man and returned the hug properly. “He’s fine.” He promised. “So is Teddy.” He added when it looked like the boy might speak again.

            “Thank you for taking care of them.”

            The sentence had Severus leaning away as he blinked rapidly. “I will _always_ look after them.” There was a time where Remus had been a black stain of his past but now, now his lover was _everything_. There would never be a moment where he wouldn’t treasure every minute with the both of them. Teddy carried a piece of his heart as well as Remus.

            “I know.” Harry breathed out as he stepped back into Draco’s waiting arms.

            “Severus.” Draco smiled softly at the man. He himself wasn’t much of a hugger. Not to mention, neither was his godfather. They traded soft looks that garnered the same emotion as an embrace would.

            “Draco.” Severus countered with a small smile and tilt of his head. He spared a brief moment for the both of them before he cleared his throat and looked back to the rest of the room.

            “You all know what an Article 5 is.” He began in a firm voice. He arched a dangerous brow when a voice interrupted him.

            “He isn’t allowed to be here.”

            Harry furrowed his brows at the pure dislike in the girl’s voice. He looked to the girl curiously. She had been standing with a group of people who appeared to be in her year but her friends had not so subtly inched away until she was alone, with her finger pointing right at him. She had long dark brown hair, so dark it was almost black. Her pretty blue-green eyes were narrowed in distrust and her brows were wrinkled in disgust.

            The expressions on her face had Harry wracking his brain as he tried to place her. He could distantly remember seeing her but never talking to the girl. She was obviously not in his year. His guess would either be a year younger than him or possibly two. He wasn’t sure. He couldn’t ever remember Draco being around her either. Although, there was a lot he didn’t notice about his husband when they were in school.

            Harry wasn’t sure what to do. He had read the Slytherin Handbook all those months ago. He knew that there was a certain way to handle things inside a meeting. The girl was correct. He wasn’t allowed to be here. There had been an entire section on amendments and clauses that he didn’t read, he had thought that it was extra information that he wouldn’t need. Now, he was regretting that. He turned his head to look back at Draco, who had his arms wrapped around him from behind.

            The first thing Harry noticed, was that his lover’s eyes were narrowed in anger. There was a clenching of a jaw and tension that had Harry immediately knowing that he was missing a vital key point. There was obviously some bad heat between the two of them. Which intrigued him. Draco was always telling him things, a discord in the Slytherin house seemed like something that would have been mentioned.

            If looks would kill, well, that would seem mild in comparison to the anger in the bond. The girl would probably prefer that over what was no doubt in his lover’s mind. Harry wasn’t sure what was going on. He knew that he wasn’t to speak up. Guests weren’t something that happened often and _definitely_ not during a meeting.

            Draco raised his hand in the air and summoned a braided rope of silver and green. He smirked at the way his formal action had the idiotic girl taking a shaky breath.

            Severus tilted his head to the side at the way this meeting was starting. He sighed internally. Couldn’t teenagers leave their angst at the door? Was it too much to ask for a calm and civilized attitude? He was rethinking his statement to Remus. At this rate, he would not make it back in time to see Teddy off for bedtime. Which angered him.

            “Astoria.” The tone of Severus’s voice had everyone standing up straight. It was the same tone that Harry was used to hearing during potions class, when the man was particularly angry with him.

            “Has all thought process escaped you? Have you suddenly become as dense and brainless as the mindless followers of the ignorant?”

            Harry tried to reign in his vindication at the way she flinched but he just couldn’t. There was a small snort from Draco that had him realizing his efforts had been very unsuccessful. Not that he minded.

            It would appear that the girl had realized she made a mistake. She dropped her gaze to the floor in a show of submission.

            “You are not to speak until allowed. You are not to interrupt. Ever. These are rules that any first year can handle. You are in your seventh year, you know better.” There was a disappointment to his tone that had Harry realizing he would rather take a thousand insults and anger from the man instead of disappointment.

            “I would have given the opportunity to speak. You know this. Why you chose to ignore the rules is beyond me. You will take over the rounds of the Gryffindor prefects for the next week.” A few muffled whistles could be heard. “On top of your own rounds.”

            Draco watched Astoria clench her fists and he smirked openly. With him being an eighth year, he was no longer a prefect. Which suited him just fine. He had hated it to begin with. Being responsible for not only your house but others as well had been annoying. He didn’t want to care about the very houses that hated his. He didn’t want to do rounds to protect those who had vilified his own. He knew that this punishment might not seem like much on the surface but it was one of the harsher ones. Rounds were taxing, especially when the day has been long. During a N.E.W.T.S year? That was asking for no sleep. But to have not only your own rounds but also Gryffindors as well? That was just plain cruel. Man, he loved Severus.

            Severus turned away from her in a show of dismissal as he looked back towards Draco.

            “Astoria was not wrong. Harry is not allowed to be here. However, you have asked for the right to speak.” He gestured to the rope in the blonde’s hands. “I will grant you that right. Explain your reasonings.”

            Draco took a deep breath. “I am citing clause 30 of evasive loopholes.” There were several whispered intakes that he had to block out. He knew that it was a stretch but it was the only thing he had.

            There was a slightly stunned silence that was broken by a derisive snort from Astoria. Draco didn’t even bother looking to her. She was not the issue right now.

            Severus arched his brows. For the life of him, he couldn’t understand his line of thinking. “Clause 30 is a medical reason to ask for something unorthodox.” He reminded his godson. “How in the world does that apply?”

            For someone in charge of Slytherins, Draco felt his godfather wasn’t thinking very clearly. Using cunning was what he did best, of course he was going to come up with a creative alternative.

            “Due to overwrought emotions, my magic is not stable at the moment.” Which was entirely true. He could feel the anger in the background effecting not only the bond but their combined magic. “Without Harry to ground me, I fear what will happen.”

            Furrowed brows were seen across the board, not that that was surprising. A normal wizard does not need someone to ground them.

            Severus parted his lips in surprise. Draco was using their soulmate bond as a medical reason. He had to give him creative points. That certainly wasn’t something he would have thought to use.

            “Due to your… condition… wouldn’t Harry be able to help you from a distance?” He knew once a meeting was started, that silencing charms were not to be activated. So, they would have to have this conversation with evasive tactics and vague statements.

            “I don’t know.” Draco admitted a little reluctantly. He knew that if this wasn’t a meeting, that Severus wouldn’t be such a sticker for the rules. He wanted to glare at the man but his godfather was just doing his job.

            Severus sighed as he shot them both an apologetic look. “Harry, will you mind stepping outside for a moment? Clause 30 isn’t meant to be used unless there is visible proof of a medical troubles. I cannot take hypothetical examples.”

            Harry turned around in Draco’s embrace and kissed a pale cheek. “I love you.” He whispered low enough that no one could hear him. He felt the love in the bond increase and that was answer enough for him. He stepped away with a lingering touch before turning to face Severus. He offered a polite nod of respect and made his way towards the door.

            He hadn’t even made it halfway before a resounding crack was heard. Everyone turned as one to see the windows with larges fractures in them that spread out like a spider web.

            Severus immediately swished his wand to repair them. His eyes widened when nothing happened. The pressure of the water was causing the fractures to spread out.

            Several younger Slytherins let out whimpers when water started dripping through a few of the deeper cuts.

            Multiple tries of repairing the glass proved ineffective. Severus frowned as he moved students to the side, so that he could see the glass up close. Once he was within touching distance, he waved his wand as he felt out the magic. His eyes widened at the feel of it. This was wild magic. He spun around to look at Draco with narrowed eyes. He furrowed his brows when he noted that his godson wasn’t even concerned about the happenings of the rest of the room. No, Draco only had eyes for Harry.

            The bond was fluctuating in ways that concerned Harry. He had seen the cracks in the window but that wasn’t anything to worry about. Severus will fix that. He had turned to Draco to see what was going on there but when their eyes locked, it was as if everything just floated away. He reached out through the bond to give his lover a mental hug. He offered any encouragement and warmth that he could. If he wasn’t allowed to be here in person, then he was going to do everything he could in the bond.

            Blaise nudged Pansy in the ribs when he caught sight of Harry and Draco. He ignored the snarl she released and gestured with his head towards their friends.

            Pansy rubbed her no doubt bruised ribs as she followed Blaise’s line of sight. She released an, ‘Oh’, of understanding upon seeing them. That didn’t stop her from shoving her elbow straight into Blaise’s gut in retaliation. The ‘oof’ of pain had her smirking in satisfaction.

             “Harry, go back to him.” Severus demanded. He wondered what was going on. His first thought was that Draco was doing it on purpose but he immediately discarded that. The wild magic was a sign that this hadn’t happened on purpose. Whatever was going on could very well be what Draco had suggested. His out of control emotions might be causing accidental magic. Usually, accidental magic isn’t in the form of wild magic. But with their soulmate bond and their combined magical prowess, he wasn’t entirely sure what could be classified as normal when it came to either one of them. Their bond _should_ have lessened the chances of something like this happening. Why wasn’t Harry able to tame Draco’s emotions. That was the point of their bond. He knew it couldn’t be brought up right now, but they _would_ be having a discussion about this at a later date. 

            Draco was aware of what has happening. He just didn’t care. Part of him thought about fixing the glass but if they were going to send Harry away, then they could fix it themselves. Belatedly, he realized that perhaps something else was going on. It was as if he was seeing things a little emotionlessly. He was aware mentally but in matters of caring, it was as if nothing actually mattered. Who cared if the windows busted? They all knew how to swim.

            It took a lot of concentration to be able to form cognitive trains of thought. The bond was a little unstable. He wasn’t sure what was the cause but he knew that it had all started when he became angry at the hotel. It was as if the anger had opened up something that neither had been aware of. Naturally, if one of them was upset, it was the duty of the other to fix it. It was a give and take, a push and pull. It was the balance that kept the bond thriving. Only, that wasn’t happening. He was upset and so was Harry. He was angry and so was Harry. No one was actively trying to change the emotion. Neither of them were attempting to right what the bond was thinking of as wrong.

            It was a discord in their bond that was screaming to be righted. Separation on top of the wild emotions of the bond would be the catalyst to Draco’s undoing. He _needed_ Harry in many ways. He needed the support of his husband just as much as he needed the soulmate part of Harry. He needed the bond to right itself and that would only happen if they were on the same page. It would only right itself when he calmed down, which he couldn’t do without Harry’s help. His magic wouldn’t settle if Harry was out of the room. His emotions wouldn’t get better without his lover.

            Harry didn’t even stop to think. The words were just the final push that had him doing what he had already been planning to. What his insides had been itching to do.

            The moment Harry was within arm’s length of Draco, he was snatched up by strong arms. He breathed a sigh of relief when he was cocooned into the warmth of his husband and the warmth of their bond. There was just a happiness to the bond that filled him with love. He felt their connection settle down to a joyful thrum. The magic that had been bursting to explode had mellowed out enough to be retracted. Draco’s emotions were still a little all over the place but still marginally better than before.

            Everyone felt a push of magic filter through the room when the two boys made contact with one another. As one, they all looked back to the windows in time to see the cracks and fractures slowly fixing themselves.

            Draco tightened his hold on Harry as he realized what kind of spectacle they were becoming. He knew that everyone would have questions. How could they not? At the moment, he honestly had no idea how he was supposed to explain any of this. It wasn’t as if he could just admit to them being soulmates. There were a few not so trustworthy people in the room. An explanation would have to be thought up. Carefully too, because Slytherins were cunning and could spot a lie through the thickest of fogs.

            He still was feeling off balance emotionally but that was something Harry and him would have to figure out when they got out of here. Faking it would have to be acceptable at the moment. Draco lifted Harry’s chin so that he could convey his plan to his husband. Words couldn’t be used but they had mastered the skill of nonverbal communication.

            There was something meaningful in the bond, something that had Harry narrowing his eyes in concentration. Not to mention the way that Draco was looking at him. There was a resigned determination in their connection. Which was curious. It was almost as if Draco was wanting to do something but couldn’t, so he had settled for an alternate route. The only question was what? It didn’t matter what his husband had originally wanted to do, what mattered was the final decision.

            Emotions came through in a succession of patterns and jabs. Some of them had a more powerful push while others were light, almost nonexistent. It was a way of emphasizing key points. Harry just had to puzzle them altogether.

            There was a strong wariness combined with a quick flash towards their watchful audience. Harry hummed in thought as he gave a barely seen nod. So, Draco was worried about what the show they had unwittingly put on. Not to mention was probably worried about what they would say.

            Harry tilted his head to the side when he felt something akin to a lie filter out. It wasn’t quite as powerful as a falsehood. That was probably due to the fact that neither of them had actually fabricated anything. It was a shadow of a lie. One that was manufactured. It took a moment for Harry to actually filter through it all to be able to understand that it was deception. He raised his brows in question. With another glance towards their audience, Harry realized that Draco wanted them to deceive their audience.

            Lies weren’t something that Harry was opposed to but this was the Slytherin house. Lies were something that were learned, taught and lived daily. It would take a lot of cunning to deceive ones who are already masters at deception. They would have to be on the same page when it came to the falsification. Sticking as close as possible to the truth would be their best bet.

            The real question was what were they supposed to say? Draco had said earlier that it was a medical reason. They could expand on that and emphasize their point.

            Pansy and Blaise shared a fond look at the way the two of them seemed to communicate without words. It was something that took a strong connection and a deeper knowledge of the other person. They both knew each other enough to communicate with looks and gestures, the same as Fred and George seemed to be able to.

            “Creepy.” Someone whispered in the crowd. “Any closer and they will be inhaling each other.”

            Severus ignored whoever spoke up. Technically they weren’t allowed but he was passed the point of caring. He sighed heavily as he made his way over the two biggest pains he has ever come across.

            “Draco.”

            The commanding tone had Draco looking away from Harry and seeing his frustrated godfather.

            “Sir, I did try and explain this to you. Visibility is not the definition of something being wrong medically. Just because you can’t see what is wrong with me, does not mean that nothing is wrong.”

            Harry hid his face in Draco’s neck to keep his grin from being seen. Leave it to Draco to completely place the blame on someone else and make it plausible.

            Severus narrowed his eyes at the implication. There was a slight sparkling to Draco’s eyes that had him questioning everything.

            “So you did.” The words were thrusted out with clear reluctance. Something that had Harry grateful Severus couldn’t see him.

            “It would appear that you have made the argument for clause 30 to stand.” Severus paused as he heard several people rustling around restlessly. He knew that another house meeting would most likely take place after he left, something he was happy to not be a part of. “Tomorrow you will explain to me in depth what is wrong with you and I may require you to visit the hospital wing.”

            There was no need to read between the lines. It was plainly obvious that they would be getting some kind of lecture tomorrow. Hopefully it was only limited to Severus and not the whole family. They were getting tired of being on the chopping block.

            “Of course, sir.” Draco answered respectably, hiding his grimace.

            Severus cleared his throat, drawing all eyes back on him. Well, almost all eyes. Harry felt eyes on him and shifted his head slightly so that he could see who it was. He narrowed his eyes at the glare being sent his way by Astoria. He honestly had no idea what her problem with him was. He couldn’t ever remember even speaking to her. What did he do to deserve such hostility? Perhaps it had something to do with the war?

            “Now that it has been established that Harry can stay, we can proceed with the meeting.” He narrowed his eyes at his students, as if daring them to speak up and argue with him.

            “Article 5 is an amendment to an emergency meeting. One that is on equal footing for a designated amount of time. This is not something that has been done in recent years, so hopefully you are all aware of what exactly this entails.” There was a sweeping of black eyes that had everyone standing up straighter. Well, Harry didn’t bother to remove himself from Draco’s arms. He just nodded his head along. He had no idea what that was but he decided to fake it. There was a flash of amusement in the bond that him grinning up at Draco quickly.            

            “House rules are not disregarded but they are not as strict during this meeting. Once I hand the floor over to the room, it is a discussion of equals. There is no leader for the duration of the meeting. There aren’t captains or prefects that will be looked to. Equality is the basis of an Article 5. I remain the voice of authority. I can and will intervene should I deem necessary.”

            There was a buzz of excitement that bounced off the walls. It was obvious to Harry that this was something uncommon. He wondered what a typical meeting was like. He knew that there were strict rules. He also knew that to speak you had to be granted permission but it was from a long line when it came to chain of command. If someone wanted to speak, they had to get permission from a captain, who then had to get permission from a prefect, who then had to get permission from the leader. It would be interesting to see the politics in play. Harry wondered if he would ever get to see another meeting.

            “Rules of speech are the same as any meeting. First come first serve is necessary and do not talk out of order. I will remove you from the room should someone do so.” Severus leveled a hard glare at Astoria.

            “The floor is yours.” Severus gestured to Draco, since he had been the one to request the audience.

            Draco shifted Harry slightly till the man was tucked into his side. It was probably not the best impression but he didn’t care.

            “I requested this meeting for the sole purpose of finding out what has been going on here. I know of some of it.” He inclined his head towards Theodore. “I would like to make it clear that I did _not_ know of the happenings here until about an hour ago.” A scoff interrupted his musings. He looked over and was not surprised to see Astoria.

            “You will wait until I am done speaking.” His hard tone had a few people shifting nervously. Draco looked around to the rest of the room.

            “I was on my honeymoon and was not made aware of the situation here. I have only had one firecall with Pansy and Blaise and it was not brought to my attention. If I had known, I would have come back.” He rubbed Harry’s back in an apology at the statement. He didn’t want it to seem as if their honeymoon wasn’t important either.

            Harry tilted his head back so that he could place a small kiss along Draco’s jaw in understanding. He understood what his lover was trying to say.

            Pansy and Blaise winced when there were several suspicious glares sent their way. Yeah, this wouldn’t win them any points in popularity. But they both stood by their choices. They would do it all over again if that meant that their best friends had a shot of a true honeymoon.

            “Your suffering was not something I foresaw and for that I am sorry. I suppose I thought that things would have calmed down some here. Especially compared to last year. My own ignorance.” He took a pause to shake his head and compose his own thoughts. He wasn’t guilty anymore but he still ached for what they went through.

            “Are there any questions before the retelling begins?” Draco asked kindly.

 

* * *

 

            The silence of the Great Hall disappeared as quickly as it had come. Soon the whispers of the confused students became loud conversations and several arguments. Some were determined to continue as they had been, not believing that consequences could come to them. Others were frightened into being immobile. The few who had not participated in any wrongdoing were smug in their ‘I told you so’s’. The noise level had increased so rapidly that the teachers’ objections were drowned out.

            “Silence!” The stern disappointed voice of the Headmistress boomed around the room. “This is a shock to everyone and I can understand your need to talk it out. However, this is not the time. Everything will be handled and taken care of.” She paused for a moment to stare at the students.

            “For now, dinner is served.” Almost instantly, the tables were filled with several different dishes. Many students looked down at the overfilled plates of food in distaste. As if anything could really distract them from what they had just witnessed.

            They all watched McGonagall wave her wand. When nothing happened they all started looking around the room expecting to see some kind of change. The confusion on her face let them know that her spell had not worked. Which was intriguing in its own rights. Since when was there a spell that she couldn’t perform?

            Remus watched Minerva curiously. He had no idea what she was attempting to do. But he found humor in her frustration. Perhaps karma was already affecting her? When she walked back to the table, her eyes were narrowed and her back was straight.

            “The glass can’t be repaired with a simple spell.”

            The words had all the teachers near her raising their brows in slight disbelief. Remus’s first thought was that she was joking but he has known for quite some time that jokes elude her capabilities.

            “Are there any trails or traces of magic left behind?” Remus asked as he furrowed his brows in concentration. His assumption was that it had been accidental magic. Draco _had_ been rather upset at the time. Which is when magic can get the best of a person. This wasn’t something rare or unheard of.

            “Excuse me, but _I_ am the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Has being a simple librarian addled your mind?”

            Remus didn’t bother holding in his eye roll at Williams’ tone. Merlin, he couldn’t stand her.

            “Oh yes, because that means that you are the _only_ person on the staff that know how to perform counter spells.” His level of snark had improved greatly since his relationship with Severus began.

            “A simple repairo falls under charms, anyways.” He pointed out with a bored look. “Remind me again who is the charms teacher, it would appear that I have forgotten. The dust in the library has befuddled my senses.” 

            “Enough.” Minerva’s tone had stopped whatever Charlotte had been about to retort back. “I don’t care who teaches what, somebody fix the windows.”

            Remus gestured his arm in a show of offering Charlotte the option to go ahead. If Minerva was having a hard time then he imagined Charlotte would too.

            It was definitely an uplifting moment for Remus as he watched her fail time and time again at fixing the windows. It was stress relief, for sure.

            “What do you think?” Remus asked Filius quietly, as he gestured towards the broken windows and the glass that hadn’t even moved a centimeter. Despite Charlotte’s attempts. 

            “I think you have some explaining to do.” The tone of voice had Remus snapping his eyes onto his friend’s face.

            “ _I_ didn’t do that.” He was at a loss for what Filius could be thinking. He watched his former teacher turned friend roll his eyes at him.

            “Not the windows Remus.” There was a polite patience to his voice that had Remus scowling. He knew when someone was thinking him an idiot. “The _connection_.”

            The emphasize on the last word had Remus sitting up straight in his seat. “Yes, well, it wasn’t something I had given much thought to.” He admitted quietly. “I thought for sure they would have used dampening charms at the least.”

            “They probably did.” Filius interrupted with a slight frown. “The wards have been improved since the end of the war. Anyone entering them will be washed away from charms, spells or disguises. It was a tweaked form of the thieves’ waterfall in Gringotts. I had to get direct approval to be able to perform that here.”

            Remus blinked rapidly as he thought it over. It made sense, in a way. “Is that why every Hogsmede trip results in a crowd of people at the edge of the wards?”

            Filius let out several rapid snorts. “Yes. It would appear that several students like to use glamour charms on parts of them that they have deemed unfit. When they enter the wards, the charms fall apart, leaving the student to have to reapply them once inside the wards.”

            This was something that Remus couldn’t really understand. He didn’t see the point of hiding who you were under spells. If someone can’t accept you for who you are, then why bother?

            “That though is beside the point.” Filius reminded him with a hard look. “It would have been nice to be warned up front. I nearly had a heart attack.”

            “Sorry.” Remus apologized with a sheepish smile. “I did not know they would be back yet. Nor is it my secret to tell.” The last bit was whispered so that only the two of them could be heard. Well, almost.

            “Blimey, I never would’a thought I would see the day meself.” Hagrid’s attempts at whispering were so horrid that both Remus and Filius winced.

            “Hagrid.” Remus glared forcefully. “This is _not_ something that can get out. You need to be sworn into secrecy.”

            The seriousness of the situation had Hagrid nodding without speaking up. Filius waved his wand and ignited the beginning of a spell. “We need your magical word.” It was obvious to Remus how much his friend realized how serious this was. It wasn’t as if soulmates were something their world has seen in hundreds of years.

            The wide-eyed look Hagrid gave let them know that the half giant didn’t quite get that it was _that_ serious. “I won’t breathe a word.” There was a shift of magic that completed the spell and made it possible for Remus to breathe easier.

            “Remus.” They all looked up to see two suspicious looks being sent their way from Minerva and Charlotte. “It would appear that we are having troubles.” He bit the tip of his tongue to stop from laughing at the way Charlotte glared at Minerva in an accusation.

            “What do you say, Filius?” Remus asked as he stood up. “Care to join me?”

            “Fixing what the Defense of the Dark Arts teacher can’t?” He grinned widely. “It would be my pleasure.”

            The muffled outrage from Charlotte had them both smirking on their way by. There was a resigned sigh from Minerva but it wasn’t enough to make him stop. It was her own fault for hiring the woman.

            Remus pulled his wand out and ran several diagnostic charms. It wasn’t something that was typical of this type of situation. But it had been obvious to him that something else was going on other than what meets the eye. His brows rose in shock and surprise when he had gestured towards the broken frame.

            “This is some powerful accidental magic.” Filius mused as he aimed sensory magic around the broken glass.

            “It’s more than that.” Remus breathed a little in awe. “Filius direct your magic to the window and not the glass.

            He watched patiently as the shorter man did as was asked.

            “Merlin.” Filius exclaimed as he looked back towards Remus. “That’s wild magic.”

            Remus tried to think over the few times he had seen wild magic in his line of sight but that was done on purpose. Not accidentally. Also, it was always from select members who specialized in that type of magic. Never just a regular wizard on the spot.

            “No wonder they couldn’t fix it with simple spells.” Remus retorted with a shake of his head. “I can’t counter balance the offset of the magic. It is too out of control.” Wild magic was tricky and dangerous. Especially if not done correctly. If just released into a room, it could level the whole building. They were all bloody lucky the whole castle hadn’t gone under.

            “Let’s try together.”

            Remus looked at the worry in his companion’s eyes and knew it matched his own. It wasn’t a good thing that Draco was releasing wild magic without meaning to.

            It took a few tries to get the spells to start working. They both had been a few seconds shy of doing it at the same time. Which hadn’t affected the out of balance magic at all. They needed to move their arms as one. They needed to speak as one and they needed move fluidly as one.

            “Damn. This is going to take a while.” Remus muttered in frustration. The spell only worked on one window at a time. It was honestly the most they could expect out of the situation. They were lucky they were able to even do that much, to be honest.

            “That’s alright. Beats sitting next to Charlotte yammer on about herself.” Filius mumbled under his breath.

            Remus snorted as he shook his head and began the spell process all over again. He looked over his shoulder briefly to see the shock and anger on Charlotte’s face. He knew she was upset that she couldn’t do it herself.

           “Simple librarian my arse.” He muttered as he looked back to the window he was supposed to be helping with. Remus briefly wondered if Severus was having as much fun as he was at the moment.

 

* * *

 

            The darkness of the night was more beautiful than the first rays of the sun. Watching nightfall every night was the only thing that made the everlasting existence seem worth it.

            “The end is approaching.”

            The figure whose eyes were still glued to the spot the moon was hiding behind shifting clouds, tensed at the newcomer. She refused to acknowledge the voice. Refused to let the whisper of words wreck the carefully controlled existence she had forced herself in. Refused to let one sentence cause the yearning that had never disappeared to resurface again. She refused to let the other woman ensnare her one more time.

            “I miss you.”

            Self-control is not as easy as one thinks. Despite them both being dead, it was harder now than when they were alive. What she wouldn’t give to turn around and see the face of her once wife.

            “You cannot shut me out forever.”

            The anger that had been festering for thousands of years bubbled to the surface as she turned around. The sight of her one-time lover almost brought her to her knees. She pushed past the part of her that longed to take the other woman into her arms. She ignored her nonexistent heart that yearned for just one touch. The bond that had thrived when they were alive was just a whisper now. Whispers are easy to ignore when you drown them out with distractions.

            “Watch me.” She spat out angrily. The pain in those once beautiful eyes almost filled her with guilt. Almost.

            “If humanity fails and magic kickstarts, then we will be lost as well.” The sentence was not something new. It was not something that would shake her core. It was not something that had not crossed her mind before.

            “Good. Then this wretched bond will go too.” She knew the words were a kick below the belt. She knew she was purposefully aiming to hurt her ex-lover.  She watched the ghostly form that matched her own dead frame float away without another word.

            “Fuck soulmates.” She spat out when she was alone once more. “All they do is bring you pain.” If only her aching heart believed the same. The sad beat of the once thrumming bond was all the grieving she would allow herself to feel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, 
> 
> I had expected to make the meeting fit into this one chapter but that just didn't happen. The length of what I had already written was enough of a chapter. 
> 
> I wasn't sure what you were all expecting for Article 5, this may have been a letdown but it is just a certain type of emergency meeting. 
> 
> I do feel that the guilt that both Harry and Draco had was warranted. Harry in the books had never considered the suffering of the Slytherins. He had just accepted the fact that they were all supposed to be the bad guys. I wanted to address this somewhat. Also, I feel that Draco would be feeling guilty for not being there. 
> 
> The wild magic is not something that I am going to quite explain just yet. It isn't something that is bad like the darkness but also isn't quite good either. That is about all I will say. 
> 
> Harry giving hugs will always be something I adore. 
> 
> Sassy Remus is now my thing. It wasn't something I realized I wanted till I wrote it. 
> 
> Bad blood between Astoria and Draco will be brought up hopefully in the next chapter. 
> 
> I am not sure what you have or have not picked up on from the last paragraphs from the last chapter. Yes, they are dead. As in ghosts. Not necromancy. No, I won't tell you who they are just yet. 
> 
> Let me know your thoughts. I will write back the comments of the last chapter shorty. Just give me some time. :P
> 
> -XxTheDarkLordxX


	4. Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I would like to apologize for the long wait. I have been having some killer writers block. I haven't ever had it this rough before. Usually, it only lasts a little while, maybe a couple hours to a few days. But no, not this time. It was awful. Which is why I ended up releasing a oneshot, I had hoped it would clear up some writers block. Which it did, for about 2k words. Then it struck me again. Man, that was a bitch. I come bringing a nearly 11k word chapter, so that has to count for something. 
> 
> !Warning! This is a rant that is not related to my story. Skip it if you please.
> 
> Second, I don't want to sound rude, but this has to be said. This is for a teeny tiny amount of you guys, not the majority. I would say about five of you. I need you to realize that I don't have to post my thoughts or ideas. I do it because I like to and you guys seem to like my story. When I am demanded to do things, or told how my story should or shouldn't go, it really really irks my soul. If I want to send them to the freaking moon, I will. If I want to kill off a character, I will. If I want the world to be blissfully peaceful, I will. No matter how I work this story, it is going to go by MY ideals, my thoughts and my decisions. I, of course, will always hear your suggestions but it doesn't realistically mean I can do what you would like. If I was to write this story based off of how every single person wants it to go, my story would be a mess and all over the place. I love you guys, really I do, but let me write in peace. Let me post in peace and let it be at my rhythm and my own beat. Rushing me will not get my chapter updated quicker. Insulting me will not get your thoughts into my story. It makes me feel unappreciated when I am told backhanded compliments in comments aimed to get your opinion across. I read what you guys say, I take your suggestions to heart but ultimately, I am going to Do What I Want. <3 Not aiming to offend anyone but I had to say my bit. Carry on and hopefully you enjoy the chapter. 
> 
> -XxTheDarkLordxX

            There was an almost deafening silence that filtered around the room as no one knew what to say. Before suddenly, there was the sound of rustled cloaks as the majority of the older students and a few younger ones pulled out their wands to summon green and silver ropes.

            Draco bit his lip to hide the chuckle that had been about to escape. He knew that they would have questions but he didn’t think it was going to be so many.

            There was a triumphant noise from a little boy that Draco didn’t recognize when the child’s rope vibrated and emitted a bright light, signifying that it was his turn to speak. Must have been one of the new first years.

            “Are you _really_ married?” The boy asked without preamble, earning a sigh from Draco and a chuckle from Harry. Figures they would be curious about the marriage instead of the happenings of the school.

            “I really am.” Draco told him kindly. “What’s your name?” The boy looked pleased at the question.

            “Nathaniel Burke.”

            Harry snapped his head up so rapidly that it drew attention to him. He paid this no mind. He shot a slightly appraising look to the younger boy.

            “How are you related to Andrew?” Draco asked the question that Harry wished he could. He wasn’t the one with the authority to speak. A guest had to be careful when doing anything.

            Pansy and Blaise narrowed their eyes in contemplation at Harry’s reaction and Draco’s question. Neither one of them could remember Draco ever being friends with Burke. They had only seen the man in question a few times when they were children. The boy had always been odd. Almost as odd as Draco being curious about him now.

            “He’s my cousin.” There was a hesitance to his tone, probably unsure of why that was important.

            Harry turned to look at Draco as they both felt out the bond, thinking the same thing. “Nathaniel.” Draco spoke up, not looking away from Harry. “Would you mind if we talked to you tomorrow?” He wanted to know how close the boy was to his cousin and see if there was any information he could provide them.

            “Sure.”

            The tiny squeak the boy let out, drew Draco’s attention to him. He smiled softly, hoping to ease the boy’s fears. He sighed internally when Nathaniel returned the smile, albeit a little hesitantly.

            When Nathaniel put his wand to the rope and the light dimmed, it went to the next person.

            “Was it _really_ an _in perpetuum simul_ ceremony?”

            Draco smiled at the fourth year who had spoken up. “Yes, Malcom, it really was.” Last year, there had been a shortage of captains and he had to be both the leader and a captain for the third years. Malcom had been one of his favorites.

           The fondness in the bond when his lover spoke to the boy had Harry’s brows arching. He reached over and lifted his left arm to show the rest of the room. He wasn’t sure how many of them had been able to see Draco’s arm while they had been in the Great Hall.

            Draco kept his arms around Harry instead of showing his own arm. Only one was needed anyways.

            There were several intakes of breath. Harry was privately amused by their reactions. The low light of the common room had the hues of the colors popping against his tan skin. He loved how bright they were, loved the intricate twists, the beautiful turns and loved the meanings behind them all.

            “My grandmothers were married with that ceremony.” Malcom whispered in awe. “But their colors aren’t as bright as yours, nor do the designs look like that.”

            Harry and Draco looked to each other and shrugged. They didn’t really know anyone else who had used this ceremony. Perhaps them being soulmates caused the designs to differ?

            The light dimmed out of the rope and Malcom let out a little frown but stepped back to allow someone else to go.

            “Why did Potter defend your family at your trial? Why save one deatheater but ignore others?” That came from a girl Harry was pretty sure used to follow Pansy around when they gossiped. Harry looked to Draco, unsure if this was directed at him or not.

            Draco opened his mouth to answer but was cut off. “No, I want to hear it from him.” Harry looked to Severus to silently ask for approval.

            “I’ll allow it.” Severus said with a bored tone. He just wished they would all hurry up. What did it matter about childhood gossip? Get to the real reason they were here.

            “I wanted to.” Harry told her simply as he locked into light brown curious eyes. “Most of my reasons are in the transcripts. I could tell you a million different intentions that are Gryffindor to the core, I could tell you it is because I love Draco or even because it was the right thing to do.” He could see several people scrunch up their noses in distaste at his answer. Which was to be expected.

            “But the biggest reason was because it benefited me in the end.” A few people nodded along, this was the Slytherin house after all. Doing things for others isn’t something widely believed in. “I _needed_ something from Lucius, badly enough to save him. I would have kept Draco out of Azkaban regardless. It wasn’t because of love that Lucius Malfoy walks free.”

            Draco was mildly impressed. Harry knew what to say at the right time. Saving others because it is the right thing to do sounds good on the surface, and it might very well win over Gryffindors but it would do the opposite to Slytherins. The quickest way to lose the respect of a Slytherin is to talk of doing the ‘right thing’.

            His answer seemed to appease her enough to let the light dim out.

            “Why did you lie in court?” Harry looked to Astoria with a look that showed she wasn’t too bright.

            “You are assuming that I did.” He retorted in a bored voice. “If you have proof that I lied, then I urge you to speak up.” The way she huffed and folded her arms across her chest had him smirking. “Even if you were correct, which you aren’t, you should know better than I would that one should; _‘Never **ever** admit, disclose, acknowledge, take credit for, or reveal potential wrongdoings. – Ignorance is always the key to staying innocent.’ _ He recited Slytherin Rule# 11.

            The gobsmacked faces of his fellow housemates was definitely a shining moment for Draco. “That’s my baby.” He whispered before nuzzling the side of Harry’s face.

            The pride in the bond was as pleasing as it was amusing. Harry would never get tired of Draco loving the Slytherin side to him.

            “Not to mention _Slytherin Rule #15: The truth is a weapon that can be used against you. –Lie whenever possible._ ” Harry absolutely loved their shocked faces. It was as if the concept of a non-Slytherin knowing their rules was too hard to believe. Unless it was the fact that it was him that knew them. He wasn’t too sure which one it was.

            The next flash of light had a small child looking up at Harry with wide eyes. “How do you know those? Do Gryffindors have rules too? Are they similar?”

            Draco opened his mouth in glee but Harry quickly covered it with his hand. “Oh no you don’t. Those rules you made up are _not_ real.” They both thought back to when Draco had gotten Zonko to sell his shop to the twins and they had been joking around afterwards.

            Severus was intrigued, he had never given thought to what the Gryffindor house might have when it came to rules. He had never bothered to ask Minerva over the years.

            Draco pouted when Harry removed his hand. “Alright, but you got to admit that those were pretty spot on rules.”

            The deadpan look he got in reply did nothing to stop his original thought, it only made the whole thing more humorous to him.

            Harry looked back to the girl who spoke. “Gryffindors don’t have rules.” He shot a weak glare at Draco who was biting his lip. “I know your rules because I bought the handbook from Flourish and Blotts.” He wasn’t going to say that Draco had been quoting them because _technically_ that wasn’t allowed.

            “There aren’t rules in Gryffindor?” The girl asked rather aghast. “Is it in anarchy?”

            The question had several Slytherins looking at Harry with distaste on their faces. As if it was his fault that there was no structure to the Gryffindor house.

            “I suppose you could say that.” Harry stated as he scratched his chin. “There are the basic rules of not going out past curfew, boys not being allowed in the girls' dorms, erm…” He wracked his brain, trying to think of other rules. “I guess that’s it.” The looks of horror were honestly amusing to Harry.

            “No structure? No order? They just do whatever they want?” The girl looked a little pale and it had Harry worrying for her health.

            Harry shrugged as he nodded a little sheepishly. The looks he was being given were making him feel guilty for the lack of control in his house but that was silly. It wasn’t his fault.

            “They have rules separating the boys and girls?” Draco asked with furrowed brows. “Why?”

            Harry arched his own as he thought it was kind of obvious why that would be. “So nothing happens between the two sexes.”

            Several loud snorts were heard and it had him realizing that maybe it was a little daft of him to have said.

            “Love, that is silly. If two people are determined to sleep with each other, they will find a way. Are there rules against the girls going inside the boys' dorms? Not to mention the couples of the same sex. If they were counting on abstinence then it wasn’t very well thought out. If sex was not the main reason for the rule then it would make no sense in separating the two.”

            Harry wrinkled his nose. “No.” Now that it was said, he realized it made no sense. Gryffindor had assumed that only the boys would wish to enter the girls' dormitories. As if only the boys have a libido.

            Draco scoffed. “Gryffindors. Their logic eludes me.” A pause. “Sorry, no offense.” He shot his husband a sheepish look. Harry waved away the apology, it didn’t bother him. He was still thinking about the flaw in the system.

            “What about you?” Harry asked Draco. “There aren’t rules about the different sexes going into the rooms?”

            Draco was itching to answer the question, and he would have if he weren’t surrounded by his housemates.

            “No.” Severus answered. He didn’t mind sharing the information with Harry. He ignored the odd looks some of his students were sending him. They would have questioned Draco’s loyalty if his godson had spoken up but they wouldn’t dare utter a word against him. It would get them nowhere.

            “Most of the teenagers are already in marriage contracts. If they are going to behave in a manner that is unbefitting of their stature then they will have to face the consequences as an adult. If they break their contract by sleeping with someone who is not their intended then again, they will face the consequences. Our house believes in a structured guide to shape the minds of the next generation but ultimately it boils done to the choices you make. There are strict rules and then there are lax ones, giving the free will aspect to come into play.”

            Harry hummed in thought as he thought it over. There were some faults in there but he was intrigued. He wondered how many contracts ended by being broken from allowing the students to mix but he could also understand the reason behind it. The students _would_ know better, so having to face the consequences is treating them like adults. Which would be required.

               “There are wards surrounding all of the dorms preventing one access in if they are there to do harm to one of the other students inside.” The unspoken words in Severus’s statement had Harry pausing. He hadn’t thought about rape or anything of the sort. But if they were going to trust the students enough to allow entry into each other’s dorms, that would raise questions regarding intent. So it would make sense to have wards protecting something like that.

            Harry nodded his head but chose not to say anything, his mind was still thinking about what had been said.

            Severus waved his wand ending the current speaking turn to allow the next person to go.

            “You said you didn’t know what was going on here because you were on your honeymoon. Where did you go?”

            Draco looked to a girl who was a year below him. “We went all over.” He admitted with a shrug. “So many different places. Sometimes different countries every day.” A few interested noises could be heard.

            “The next question better be something worthwhile.” Severus interrupted. He was not giving time out of his day to listen to gossip or of things he already knew. What a waste.  

            “What would you have done differently if you had been here?” Millicent asked with a nervous shot of shifting eyes to Severus. As if worried her question was not worthwhile.

            “Everything.” Draco breathed out emphatically. “The things I said when we walked in is what I would have done. I already would have taken the school to court. I would have taken anyone who broke dueling laws to the Wizengamot. I would not have allowed the injustice to continue.”

            “And if the courts won’t listen to a deatheater?”

            There was no scorn, mockery or derision in her tone, just simple curiosity. Which is why Draco wasn’t offended.

            “Whether they dislike me is irrelevant. They are bound by the very same laws they believe so strongly in. The government is corrupt, this should not be news to you but it is the only thing we can use at this time. As long as they preach their legislations then they have to honor it. Feelings matter none when it comes to the accordance of the laws.” He paused to gauge their reactions.

            “Besides, I always have a backup plan.” He smirked as he looked to Harry. “Mine just happens to be married to me.”

            A scoff could be heard among the whispers and Draco didn’t even have to turn to know it was Astoria.

            Harry looked to Severus and waited until a nod of approval and a halting of the ropes was issued before he spoke up.

            “I am unsure of what your issue is with me.” Harry told her with a curious crease of his temple. “If it is my namesake that bothers you, then you are out of luck. My name carries weight, which is something I have detested my whole life. But I _know_ that it will open doors just as well as it will also burn bridges. When making statements, I have to be careful of what I claim with those words. Because I can tear things down or build them up. I am not being conceited or even putting too much stock into my own name.” He paused for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to put things.

            “Society has paraded my name a lot throughout the years. In the beginning, I was the baby who had saved everyone. A beacon of light that ended a war. During my teen years, I was a trouble maker, a liar, someone seeking attention. I wasn’t believed and even mocked for being targeted by a mad man. I fought for my life, watched a friend die and was put through torture at the hands of someone who would have been the downfall of free will, and for what? To be mocked? To be slandered by the mindless sheep of people who can’t think for themselves?” Harry felt Draco squeeze his waist and he closed his eyes for a moment, allowing the support of his husband to fill him.

            “I had to lose a godfather in the process of doing what is right. I had to lose myself in the fight for life. I had to lose who I am to make the rest of the world safe. I had to give up _so_ much for the sake of everyone else. Suddenly, I am the savior again. Suddenly, I am their beacon again. Nevermind that they had dimmed that light previously. Nevermind that I went through hell and back just to make it out alive. Nevermind that they didn’t do anything to help.” He shook his head in distaste.

            “My name is always going through ups and downs. People are irregular when it comes to their opinion of me. They deny parts of my success and smear the things I do, but what _is_ undeniable is that I killed Voldemort.” He watched nearly the whole room flinch from the title.

            “I did what they wanted me to. I did what was necessary, I did what they thought I couldn’t. I did what they were too scared to accomplish. They can never again question my abilities in that regard. Oh, they can assume I am the next Dark Lord, they can say I am evil or villainous but they can never say I didn’t get rid of Voldemort. That right there will guarantee that my name is taken seriously. Whether I want it to or not. If I were to rally behind Draco in taking the school to court then it _will_ help. It will be of use. So whatever your petty problems with me are, it matters none in the end. The only thing that matters is what I do going forward.”

            There was a pregnant pause as everyone in the room seemed to be thinking about what he had said. Harry tried to see if Astoria had considered his words but she just appeared to dislike him even more. He couldn’t figure her out, couldn’t figure out what he had ever done to her.

            “Will you stand behind him?” Theodore asked quietly as his light lit up. He wasn’t sure what to make of the Potter that stood before him. The boy who seemed to do no wrong was making sense. The boy who had previously avoided all consequences had matured into someone unrecognizable. Theo detested the shows of affection and loathed the sweet moments between them. But he couldn’t deny Draco’s happiness. Potter had changed his friend in ways that he knew he wouldn’t have been able to. The knowledge killed him just as much as it filled him with a bittersweet aching sensation.

            Harry looked to the boy that Draco was friends with. He didn’t know Theodore at all. Couldn’t remember the guy ever speaking much in classes.

            “Always.” He wasn’t sure what kind of question that was or where it was coming from. By the confusion in the bond, Harry knew that Draco was a little confused as well.

            “Why?” A girl spoke up when Theodore seemed satisfied with the quick answer and his turn ended. “Why help us?”

            “This is going to sound horribly Gryffindor for a moment, but bear with me.” Harry warned with a slight smile. “I will _always_ do what is right. I know that isn’t something you want to hear but this works in your favor, so take advantage of my weakness and profit from it. I cannot see injustice and ignore it. There is some awful coding to my DNA that makes that impossible.” There were a few frowns but that was to be expected.

            “I know this goes against a lot of your ideals but it is true. Even if Draco was not rallying for a change, then I would have been.” He knew that he was still guilty for not noticing the suffering from when he was last in school but there would have been no missing this. Even if he wasn’t with Draco, he _never_ would have tolerated the things being done here.

            “It is just a part of who I am. I know that I was blind to the suffering of the Slytherins when I was younger, that is my own issues that I have to consider but that won’t hinder me now. Whether you all like me or not, matters none. I will help Draco in anything he wants to do.”

            Draco placed his chin on Harry’s shoulder as he tightened his hold on his husband. This was the Gryffindor side to his soulmate that he loved. It warred with a lot of what Slytherins would view as a weakness but he didn’t care. He knew that Harry would do anything for him and that was something that went both ways.

            “Even though it is your own house that participates?” A boy with tight rings of curls and skin that blended in with the shadows spoke up with a mature aura to him.

            Harry winced visibly at that. “I know that threats alone won’t be the solution that will end the prejudice. There has to be a bigger picture involved and that is where common sense and talks of understanding come into play. I will talk to my house and I will set them straight.” He paused as he scrunched up his nose in thought.

            “I don’t exactly know how well that will work out. Gryffindors can be brash, stubborn, unrelenting in their own beliefs and quick to jump to conclusions.” There were some raised brows at his honest statement, as if they expected him to protect his house. As if he would not realize the faults of the wrong doers.

            “The house system is flawed in the division. Just because Gryffindors are looked at as these brave, valiant and heroic people, does _not_ mean that they never know their opposite. It does not mean that they can’t be cowards, weak or even meek. When we separate people and give them a label, they stick to it and chalk up anything that doesn’t fit such a title as wrong. I am a Gryffindor who has been brave but used cunning to get out of situations that required it. I have used knowledge to define the loyalty that is demanded in tough situations. I don’t fit inside one conformed bubble. I am a Gryffindor but I am so much more than that. I want to be all the houses. I don’t want to look at the world in these four confining colors. I want all the shades combined. I want the different hues that make up other traits. I want to be a united front in all aspects that make up what Hogwarts had been founded on.”

            Draco listened to Harry intently, he was enamored with how well Harry could make someone not only listen to what he was saying but _believe_ it too.

            “I think the school has been so lost in their own skewed judgment for centuries. I feel as if the divide is more of a problem then ever initially intended. Fixing the prejudice is more than helping the Slytherins. That is just the outlining cracks to the already shattered system. If we pause at only stopping the abuse done to you all, then we are only delaying the inevitable. We _need_ to be united as an entire school not just as houses. Because the ideals happening here will spread outward. If we can’t even come together as children inside a school, then how can we stop the real problems of the world? I worry about the consequences when it comes to a lack of bona fide unity. If we can’t come together then it isn’t just the school that will fall. Humanity will follow.”

            There was a very uncomfortable silence that followed his statement. He noticed that several Slytherins had even stepped away, providing space between them.

            Harry furrowed his brows as he shot Draco a confused look. The bond was filled with both of their emotions, so he knew that his soulmate was just as clueless as he was.

            “Have I said something wrong?” When no one answered him, Harry looked to Severus hoping for some understanding. The slightly opened mouth and wide eyes was not what he expected to see.

            Severus blinked rapidly for a moment. “Have you come in contact with the sorting hat recently?” He asked curiously as dread filled his stomach. The hat was always spouting things off, things he had never really taken into consideration. But to have Harry say eerily similar things did not bode well. There was obviously a bigger problem than what originally meets the eye.

            “What?” Harry and Draco said in unison. That had not been what they had expected, despite not knowing what to think in the first place.

            “I haven’t seen the hat since Neville pulled the sword from it. Not that I talked to it then.” Harry admitted with disbelief still etched into his features. “We were in America before coming here. There was no chance at seeing the hat before we entered the Great Hall.” He felt out the bond but Draco was just as flabbergasted.

            “Why?” Draco asked in confusion. “What does the hat matter?”

            Severus looked between them but only found the truth in their confusion. Which had him worrying even more. “Before you stormed into the school, the sorting hat gave out a warning. Said some things pretty close to what you just said.” His eyes locked onto Harry’s. He watched the two of them share an almost knowing look. Which had him narrowing his own eyes in suspicion. There was something about the look that didn’t sit well with him. As if they knew of things he didn’t.

            Harry hummed in thought as he thought back to the warnings the hat seemed to give towards the last few years before the war. He had always chalked it up to the hat picking things up from Dumbledore’s office but what if it was more than that? What if the hat knew things that others didn’t? Was the hat aware of the things the Jinn had told them? Did it know about magic potentially eradicating the world? Was it aware of the approaching end?

            Pansy and Blaise narrowed their eyes. They knew Draco enough to know that their friend knew something about this. Pansy didn’t think that they had lied about not speaking to the hat, but it was clear that they knew _something._

            Blaise didn’t like this. Their looks had an understanding and a determined glint to them. They better not be geared to play hero again. He couldn’t keep up with all of this. He was not built for the adventure of being involved in situations like this. Couldn’t he just stay with Fred in the confines of the shop? He winced internally when they seemed to come to a silent agreement on something. Blaise just knew that he was going to have to help.

            With the onslaught of information that the Jinn had provided them just hours ago, Draco hadn’t really had time to process it all. But it was plainly obvious that it wasn’t just one sided, it wasn’t just something that the Shaytan had said. This _was_ a bigger problem than anyone was aware of. Even the bloody sorting hat had picked up on this. If any part of the warning had stuck into the children’s minds, then it would help them in the long run. He wondered if the two could intermingle. Was there a connection to all of this? Could helping the school start the foundation to fixing the rest of the world? Was it that simple? Or was this just a distraction?

            Draco nudged Harry’s cheek until curious eyes met his and they locked gazes. He wondered what his lover was thinking. Had they come to the same conclusion? Did they both know what they would do? He could feel a determination from Harry as well as his own. They were firm in the belief that they could do this. They would help not only the school but also humanity. How were they going to accomplish this? He wasn’t entirely sure. But he knew they would. Together, they could do anything.

            “It would appear that even the hat knows that a change needs to happen.” Was all that Harry would say. He didn’t look up from Draco’s eyes as he answered Severus.

            The vague answer almost had Severus growling. They would _definitely_ be having a conversation later.

            A shining of light, had both boys looking back towards the Slytherins, to see whose turn it was.

            “Are you going to appeal my ruling?”

            Draco looked to Daphne with a heavy sigh. The girl was one of his friends, perhaps not as close as Theo and Millicent outside of Pansy and Blaise but she was someone he liked to talk to. He had known when he left on his honeymoon that his position as leader would be given to her. He hadn’t been upset, because his honeymoon was way more important but he had been slightly disappointed.

           Being leader had been handed to him when he was a fourth year. The honor had never been given to someone so young before. A position of power is as dangerous as it is appealing. His father had always told him that being someone in power wasn’t necessarily the best plan of action. When things go wrong, the one on top is blamed, whether it is their fault or not. Which is why his father had never run for office himself. There was a certain power to staying in the shadows, watching things from the sidelines and implementing ideas when no one was around. Being an advisor to the one in charge has just as much power, if not more than the person commanding.

            He had been a good leader for his Slytherins. There was no denying that, but it wasn’t a position he had liked. There is a certain knowledge that is required when knowing that you are responsible for an entire house of people. Having that much control over the happenings of his housemates wasn’t something he liked. It wasn’t until he had remembered his past lives that it made sense. Dracott had hated being king. Hated being responsible for the wellbeing of his people. Hated knowing that his rulings had a detrimental impact on their daily lives. Being in charge just wasn’t for him. It just wasn’t something he liked to do. He could accomplish more things from the shadows, he could do so much more for the Slytherin house if he wasn’t the face of power.

            Draco wasn’t sure if Daphne was a fit leader, he hadn’t been here to experience her in any form of power. When he was the leader, she had been his advisor, someone that he would go to when needing help. So he knew that she was capable on the surface. The things that had been happening to his Slytherins while he was gone was not her fault. But it _was_ her responsibility to attempt to change the wrongdoing. He couldn’t fathom why nothing had been done. She has a mouth, she could have threatened them all like he had. She has hands, she could have researched the laws if she had been unfamiliar to them. There _were_ means that his friend could have gone through but she hadn’t. He was disappointed in her actions already.

            Did he want to lead because he didn’t trust her abilities? Or did he want to allow her the chance to do better? If he wanted to take over command he knew that he could. There would be a few students who would follow Daphne, like her sister. Not that he cared what Astoria did. But the majority of the students would follow him if the opportunity arose. The real question was, did he want to? He already had so much on his plate with worrying about the whole fucking world, did he need to worry about house meetings, who didn’t do their homework and whether a captain was doing their job or not? Salazar, that sounded unappealing.

            He knew that he could change the prejudice of this school without being a leader. There was a list of things that the person in charge couldn’t do. They had to be mindful of the things they did and said. Detentions of a leader affected the entire house. They had to uphold themselves to a certain standard, one that Draco was honestly sick of. If he wanted to behave in a manner that wasn’t befitting of a leader then he was going to do it. Rules weren’t meant to be followed. They were too confining and provided little room for personal growth.

            Draco knew without a doubt that everything he wanted to accomplish would be easier if he wasn’t the leader. There was more wiggle room for accomplishing tasks, it provided him with more time to explore what they would be doing when helping the problems of the rest of the world. He couldn’t exactly be the leader _and_ leave for lengths of time. The task of staying around for his charges would be required and that wasn’t something he could afford right now. Not to mention that he just didn’t want it. He didn’t want to be a leader. Didn't want the responsibility.

            “No.” Draco finally came to a decision. “I won’t.” There were several jerky movements from his fellow Slytherins. He saw the way Daphne’s pale green eyes widened in shock and knew that she hadn’t thought he would go that route.

            Severus watched Draco curiously. His godson had always been a good leader, would have been better if the boy had stopped taunting Harry at every turn. That had been the only flaw in his leadership skills. But Draco had always been exemplary in his abilities to command. He didn’t have a lot of faith in Daphne’s abilities. The girl was too soft in areas that she needed to be firm. He knew he had been rather harsh on her lately but it was needed if she was going to be a good leader. Severus honestly would prefer it if Draco was to take over but there must be a reason his godson was saying no. For him to deny this opportunity would put some kind of faith in Daphne’s capabilities as a leader. If Draco saw something in her then he knew he should probably be more understanding.

            Blaise hummed in thought at the answer. He knew that Draco hadn’t liked the responsibilities of being in charge as much as he liked the power that came with it. There must be a reason his friend was going this route. Daphne as a leader wasn’t a bad option, his friend was kind but rough when provided with weak excuses. Next to Draco, she was the _only_ other person he could think of that would make a good leader. He sure as fuck didn’t want to be in charge and he knew that Pansy felt the same way. They were more prone for breaking rules than preaching them. Probably why they meshed so well with their boyfriends.

            Pansy didn’t bother watching Draco, she was more interested in Astoria. She had turned to look at the girl when Draco was had taken his time to think over the answer. There was something about her that was rubbing the wrong way. She had always known the girl didn’t like her friend but Astoria’s actions today seemed to go a little past that. Pansy watched the way her eyes lit up at Draco’s reply. That alone worried her more than anything else. Everyone knew that Draco was a better leader than Daphne. There was no contest, Daphne was a tiny flame in comparison. Astoria would have been stupid to think that her sister was a better candidate.

            She tilted her head to the side as she shot a look towards Daphne. The surprise in those eyes let her know that she did not hold the beliefs of her sister. Whatever Astoria was thinking, it did not extend to Daphne. Which is something she had suspected all along. The two Greengrass girls didn’t quite get along all the time. There was a sister rivalry between them at all times but there was also the love of a sibling too. Daphne had never disliked Draco like Astoria did, she had chosen to get to know him rather than just snub him completely. 

            Pansy knew that Draco knew what he was doing. If he didn’t want to be the leader then there was a reason behind this. She didn’t want him to be the leader either, not because she doubted his abilities. No, it was because of the pressure of being in charge. It was something she hated to see bestowed on her friend. Draco had always handled it well, it just wasn’t something her friend liked.

            Harry wasn’t entirely sure that he understood just what was happening. He understood most of the basics but the handbook compared to the real-life politics of a Slytherin were completely different. He knew going into this that Draco wouldn’t want to be leader again. His husband just didn’t fancy those types of positions. Not to mention they were pretty busy without all of this. He did think that Draco would make a great leader. His lover was just that type of person that handled power well.

            “The only thing I will petition for is that I become your advisor.” Draco looked to Astoria out of the corner of his eyes and noticed the slight panic in them. Oh, he knew the girl would request a position but there was no way in hell he would allow that to happen.

            Daphne’s head titled to the side, as if she was considering his request.

            “There are things that I believe I can provide you with. Help, advise, candid honesty and experience. You _need_ someone in your corner who knows what they are doing. I am the only one here that has that.” He let her mull over his statement before sending a slight smirk towards the now fuming Astoria. He wasn’t entirely sure _why_ the girl wanted to be an advisor. Was she planning things from the shadows? That was dangerous. He couldn’t handle side plots at this point in time.

            “That won’t be decided at a time like this.” Severus interrupted smoothly. “If you are picking an advisor then it needs to be in a formal setting. We can set up the proper time frame for that at a later date.” He waited until he received both of their nods of agreement before addressing the room at large.

            “I should not need to remind you all that if you wish to be considered for the position of an advisor then you will need two captains as a sponsor and my word of approval before that will be allowed.” There were several whispered voices being heard. It wasn’t often that advisors were picked. Draco hadn’t had one outside of Daphne, and Daphne hadn’t had one at all this year.

            “Also, potential advisors are not to discuss the upcoming election with the leader in any capacity. Whether that be direct contact or indirectly through letters, notes, or even friends. If I find that discussions regarding this are being held, I _will_ choose a new leader and bar the potential advisor from any further proceedings. Do not make follow through with any threats. You will not like the outcome.” There was a dangerous glint to his eyes that had a few people shifting uneasily.

            “To make this long meeting short.” Severus paused to frown at his students. “I am going to summarize some things, that way I can move on to more pressing matters.” He narrowed his eyes when Draco rolled his.

            “There are several teachers that are completely incompetent. You met one of them earlier. Charlotte Williams. She is the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.”

            Harry scrunched up his nose. Of course it would be one of his favorite classes that gets the bitch. He sighed internally as he braced himself for no doubt many upcoming detentions from the woman.

            “While I do not like discussing colleagues with students, this _is_ a house meeting and separate from normal procedures. She is the one who is going to be the hardest in making changes.” Severus warned. “She hands out detentions to the victims of attacks while allowing the attackers to walk free.”

            A glass that housed colorful moving sand shattered, startling everyone as the sand exploded in puffs of color.

            Harry quickly turned their positions until he was the one holding Draco. “It’s alright.” He breathed into Draco’s ear quietly. He knew he wasn’t supposed to be speaking out of turn now that Severus had taken back the control but that couldn’t be helped.

            Draco was filled with rage. The anger that had been set aside was coming back up to the front. He allowed Harry’s soothing magic and emotions to enter his mind. He held onto the love and comfort and soaked it up. It was as if the anger was a spill of liquid and the love was soaking it up into itself like a cloth, containing the liquid but not changing it. He looked to Severus apologetically.

            “Another teacher is Matthew Jameson. He is the new Transfiguration Professor. I do not know how he handles himself in a classroom but he is incompetent in other matters.” Severus curled his mouth in distaste at the coward. “He is… frightened of Remus and I.” He noticed the curious looks being directed at him for using his lover’s first name but he ignored this. Even though it was a house meeting, he was speaking directly to Harry and Draco in a way.

            Harry snorted. He could see why someone might fear Severus but Remus was as sweet as they come. What could possibly frighten him enough to be scared of him? He narrowed his eyes when the answer was practically hitting him in the face.

            “It’s because he is a werewolf, isn’t it?” There was a hard edge to Harry’s voice, one that reminded Pansy and Blaise of the few times the darkness had taken their friend over. It would seem that Harry had picked up on some intimidation tactics. They weren’t the only ones’ shivering.

            Harry closed his eyes at the tense nod Severus gave him. What was _wrong_ with people? Why did they have to view people who weren’t like them as if they were something else? Remus was one of the kindest people Harry had ever come across and yet the man would fear him over being a werewolf? It was wrong. It sickened him.

            Before Harry’s anger could heighten to the point of snapping out, Draco ran his fingers up and down the hands encircling his waist. He didn’t push soothing calm into the bond as much as he breathed it. It was a whisper of a feeling, one that was light enough not to overcompensate for anything but also welcome enough that Harry would want to take it inside of himself.

            The creative ways Draco did things would always surprise Harry. Even when it came to their bond, his lover was always doing surprising things. He didn’t want to be calmed down but the easy way Draco had filtered through it, without even trying was what calmed him unintentionally. He shook his head but there was a fond smile on his face as he placed a kiss to the top of Draco’s head.

            Theodore watched the interaction in mild confusion and curiosity. He knew he was missing something. That was obvious. But he wasn’t sure what he was missing. The odd shows of understanding and emotions weren’t adding up to each other. It was as if there was a silent conversation happening but that didn’t make sense either. He bit his lip as he decided to watch them closely, hoping to gain some kind of understanding.

            “What else?” Draco whispered as he continued to run his fingers along Harry’s skin.

            Severus frowned at that, he knew that given the opportunity, these two would grow even more open with their touches. Which was something he did not want to see.

            “The rate at which I can give out detentions cannot make up for the lack of attention other teachers are missing out on. With only a handful of teachers doing what they should, it makes it rather difficult to keep up on all of the attacks. Several slip through the cracks on a daily basis.” He admitted reluctantly.

            “Is the board of Governors aware of this?” Draco wondered as he looked to his godfather.

            Severus winced internally as he nodded his head. He wanted to look elsewhere when Draco’s eyes flashed angrily but he forced himself to meet the gaze unflinchingly. If he could look Voldemort in the eye then his angry godson was no match.

            “So, it was a family affair, was it?” Draco ground out angrily as he clenched his fists tightly. “Not even my father felt the need to tell me what was happening.” He didn’t want to get too angry but he couldn’t help the swirl of magic that was itching to escape.

            Harry lifted his hands off of Draco’s stomach and grabbed the clenched fists. He unfurled the hands and entwined their fingers. He knew that whatever Draco had done earlier wouldn’t work, so he would have to get creative himself. He thought about working the bond but that would be expected. He lifted one of their combined hands and placed a few soft kisses against the skin.

            Draco huffed when those lips touched his skin. Damn him. He couldn’t stop the soft smile from forming. Couldn’t Harry just allow him to be angry? Why did he have to be so understanding and supportive?

            When his anger had settled and his magic was calm, Draco looked back up to Severus. There was an amused expression on his face, one that he didn’t appreciate.

            Severus would never tire of seeing the way the two of them interact. He shook his head before continuing the discussion. “There isn’t much the Board of Governors can do without a backing of the teachers. Most of them like Williams were studiously denying any wrongdoing. We were outnumbered and unfortunately, my name doesn’t go very far. Your father _has_ made some headway recently but nothing concrete.”

            Draco hummed in thought as he debated about how to proceed forward, he knew that he had to be careful at how they handled things. Especially if he was going to involve his father. The public wouldn’t take the knowledge of them teaming up well and would distrust any type of movement planned by them. A sudden thought had him smirking on the inside. _Oh_. It was perfect. He would have to keep it quiet for now, couldn’t tell Severus or it might get back to his father. But he could tell Harry.

            There was a flash of satisfaction, mischievousness, triumph and even vindication in the bond. Harry was amused at the emotions but highly curious. A jab of patience had him huffing at the silent reprimand. It was clear that Draco wasn’t going to tell him just yet. He nodded reluctantly but would demand an explanation when they got out of here.

            _There it was again._ Theo watched the two of the with growing frustration. There was just this connection that he couldn’t quite place. It was driving him mental trying to figure it out.

            “They can give you a better rundown of the actual attacks happening but it is fairly obvious that it isn’t just one house. It is a combination of the other three. They have united in their belief of Slytherins as deserving punishment.” He noticed the clenching of Draco’s jaw and hurried to get through the rest of it.

            “Your threat of taking anyone breaking dueling laws will help. The idea of them just blindly listening isn’t plausible. If you want to make your point clearly then you will have to take the next person to break it, to court. Because there will be someone, there always is. An example has to be made, to show that you are serious.”

            This wasn’t unexpected. Draco knew that there would be some idiots out there that will most likely attack without thinking. Which was alright by him. He would just show them just why that was a terrible mistake. He nodded his head in agreement.

            “I would not recommend walking alone until things have settled down.”

            The warning had Harry’s emotions spike. The thought of someone harming Draco was not sitting well with him. He knew that his husband didn’t need help but there was so much that could go wrong.

            Draco squeezed their entwined fingers. He loved that Harry was worried about him but it was unnecessary. He could take care of himself.

            “You don’t have any charges to look out for nor were you made a captain.”

            This had Draco sighing in relief. He had been worried that someone would be made a temporary captain while he was gone and then have to take over now that he was back. He was glad that they hadn’t made him a captain. He didn’t want the extra responsibility.

            “If you should wish to be made one, let me know.” Severus was again surprised at the negative shake of a head. He wondered what was going on inside of Draco’s head. This was just something else that he would have to ask about when they had the time.

            Severus looked to the rest of the room and cleared his throat. “Unless there is anything else that is _dire_ , I will end the meeting.”

            Harry bit his lip to stop from chuckling. As if someone was going to speak when the man was glaring daggers at everyone.

            When no one said anything, Severus spoke up. “This meeting, however unconventional it was, is now at a close. If there are any further questions regarding anything that has been mentioned tonight, please address the proper chain of command.” He paused to make sure everyone was listening.

            “The guideline if you will.” He demanded.

            “ _All Slytherins are your brethren. Protect one to protect them all. We are a united front against all those who oppose us_ _.”_

Severus nodded once before turning around and walking to the exit. “Draco, Harry.” He waited until their eyes were on him. “After lessons tomorrow, your presence is required.” With that being said, he walked out of the common room without a glance back, not bothering to hear their reply.

            “I love how he just assumes we're going to listen.” Harry grumbled petulantly. By the lack of destination, he figured that meant they were to go to his private quarters. Somewhere Draco was going to have to show him.

            “What do you think he would do if we ignored his demand?” Draco countered as he leaned back into Harry’s body and closed his eyes.

            “Use us as test subjects for some new potion he concocted.”

            Draco hummed. “That doesn’t sound too bad. If the potion is interesting enough, I might like that.”

            Harry grinned as he placed a kiss on his shoulder. “Alright, what about if he makes us listen to another debate with Lucius regarding the proper arm movement for systematically concise wand gestures that enhance a spell.”

            The dramatic shudder Draco released had Harry grinning widely.

            “Salazar, no. Let’s do as he asks but it is our choice, not because he demanded us.” Draco argued. He really didn’t fancy listening to any form of debate his godfather could come up with. Harry wasn’t too far off on his suggestion. Draco knew that Severus would find some kind of punishment if they didn’t go.

            “Whatever you say, love.” Harry whispered.

            A whoosh of air had Draco opening his eyes, he grinned when two faces were in his personal space.

            Harry let out a huff of laughter when Pansy and Blaise enveloped them in another hug. Only this time it was a group hug, with his arms still wrapped around Draco.

            “Not bad for the first meeting.” Pansy whispered, trying to keep her voice down from listening ears.

            “I suppose.” Draco conceded as he pushed the two of them away.

            “Don’t think you don’t have some explaining to do.” Blaise warned them as he stood next to Pansy. He smiled at his two friends. There was still the unabashed displays of affection but their love was still written all over their faces. Their honeymoon had probably brought them even closer.

            “I suspect you both want to come along to see Severus.” Draco drawled the obvious.

            “You say that like we need permission.” Pansy scoffed. “Of course we are going.”

            Harry laughed warmly at that. He really had missed them. “Think you can get Fred and George to come?”

            Blaise looked to Pansy in worry, if they were wanting a family gathering then things weren’t good. He bit his lip as he nodded. “I can send them an owl before bed.”

            “Think you can do that now?” Harry asked as he checked the time.

            Draco wrinkled his forehead. “What’s the rush, angel?” He tilted his head to the side till he could see most of Harry’s face.

            “I want to talk to the Gryffindors tonight.” This was something he needed to do. He was nervous, beyond nervous. He hadn’t seen most of them in a long time but he knew that it needed to be done. Having to see his former friends wasn’t something he was looking forward to but it was a necessity.

            The turbulent emotions in the bond worried Draco. “Do you want me to go?” Walking into the lion’s den full of hungry, bloodthirsty evil little gits was not something Draco wanted to do. Merlin, it sounded like a nightmare. But he would do it for Harry.

            “Yes.” Harry whispered. “But if you don’t want to go, I understand that it’s asking a lot of you.” It was. Having Draco walk into a house that honestly loathed him was not something very welcoming.

            Draco turned around in Harry’s embrace until they were face to face. “I don’t care.” He whispered back. “You want me with you, then I will be there. I love you, Harry.” He cupped a cheek. “You would have to be daft if you think I will allow my husband to walk into there without some kind of backup. I don’t trust Gryffindors in their own territory any more than I would trust a ravenous Lactera.”

            The example had Harry laughing reluctantly. “That is saying something.” He thought back to the pack they had seen on the way to the Flamels and realized that his lover liked to exaggerate.

            “Thank you.” Harry added as he rested their foreheads against each other.

            There was more to the gratitude than just going with him. There was something else involved, something that had Draco curious. Before he could ask, his mouth was invaded by a pair of firm and needy lips, effectively cutting off any former thoughts.

            Blaise sighed heavily when it was obvious that tongues had made contact. He looked to Pansy but groaned at her interested expression. “You are lucky George isn’t here.” He pointed out.

            The statement had Pansy grinning as she took her eyes off of her friends. “You are lucky Fred isn’t here. He likes to join me in my voyeurism.”

            Blaise wrinkled his nose at that. It was true. His partner tended to follow Pansy in horrible taste.

            “Is this something they do often?”

            Harry and Draco pulled apart at the new voice. They noticed that Millicent and Theodore had come over to Pansy and Blaise.

            “Unfortunately.” Blaise retorted at the same time that Pansy exclaimed, “Fortunately.” Blaise shot her a deadpan expression while she grinned unrepentantly.

            “How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of our sex life?” Draco told Pansy with a sigh.

            “If you wouldn’t flaunt it, I wouldn’t watch it.” She sing-songed in a weird impression of Luna.

            Harry ignored them and looked towards Draco’s other friends. “I don’t believe I have ever really talked to either of you before, but I would like to change that.” He unwound one of his hands and held it out between the two of them.

            Millicent looked down at his hand longer than was necessary before reaching out and gripping his palm. “It will be nice to get to know you Potter. You have a way with words.”

            “Malfoy.” Harry corrected automatically. There were several people who turned their heads at his declaration, letting him know that the room had been listening to him for a while now.

            “I chose to drop the Potter surname in favor of becoming a Malfoy.”

            “Intriguing.” Millicent murmured as she dropped their hands. “I do have to wonder why that is.”

            Draco shook his head. “His decisions are his own.” There was a warning in there, letting not only her know but anyone that was listening that they weren’t going to answer anything personal. It wasn’t there place to ask them anything.

            There was some kind of powerplay going on, Harry decided. It wasn’t as if the question was something he couldn’t have answered.

            Harry held out his hand to Theodore next and got the impression the boy was reluctant. No words were exchanged as they shook hands, no gestures of welcome.

            Draco tilted his head to the side at the way Theo was behaving. It wasn’t like his friend to be this quiet or this closed off.

            “You alright, Theo?” Draco asked when the quick handshake was over. He didn’t like the way his friend had dropped Harry’s hand as if it had burned him.

            “Fine.” Theodore lied with a small smile as he looked to Draco. He knew that he needed to work on his acting skills but he was unprepared for this pleasant side to Potter. He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to behave.

            By the emotions in the bond, Harry knew that Draco thought the boy was lying. He bit his lip in worry. Did Theodore have a problem with him? They honestly had never had a single conversation until now, so whatever the issue was, it wasn’t something he had done to the Slytherin intentionally.

            Draco didn’t like the self-consciousness in the bond. He didn’t like the way his husband was feeling. He sent a wave of love through the connection before clearing his throat.

            “I would love to catch up with you all but Harry and I are going to cause havoc in the Gryffindor house.” A wicked smirk graced his features as he watched all four of them lean away in surprise.

            “You are taking him to a house that hates his guts?” Theo asked with a frown. “One that would sooner harm him than listen?”

            “I don’t like what you are implying.” Draco spoke up before Harry could. “I don’t need help, I am not someone that needs to be looked out for. Harry didn’t ask me to go. I offered. I am not sure what is going on Theo, but get passed it. Please.”

            Harry pulled Draco to him tighter as he leaned up to whisper in his ear. “It’s alright. He is worried about you. It _is_ odd for you to go to Gryffindor.”

            Draco wasn’t reassured. His friend was being odd and despite Harry’s reassurances, he was positive something else had been the underlying thought. He nodded his head towards Theo before heading towards the exit, with Harry right behind him.

            “We will see you tomorrow.” Draco called out to Pansy and Blaise. “Don’t wait up.” He wasn’t planning on coming back to the common room anyways.

            As soon as they made it out of the room and down the hallway, Harry pulled Draco into a tight embrace.

            “I love you.” He breathed out. The meeting hadn’t been too stressful but their emotions and magic had been through some tense moments.

            Draco grinned as he hugged Harry just as tightly. “I love you too.” He whispered. “I think that went well.” He mused out loud when they broke apart.

            “As well as expected.” Harry shrugged his shoulders. “What was the decision you came to about your father?” Harry asked. “You had pushed me into being patient.”

            “Yes.” Draco drawled in amusement. “I can see how long that patience lasted.” He teased gently as he made his way to an empty classroom, hoping to find a spare piece of parchment.

            Harry shrugged unrepentantly. “You intrigued me.” He watched Draco go to the empty desk nearby and use supplies that had been left behind.

            “What are you doing?” He wondered as Draco began writing a letter.

            “I am requesting a full board meeting to be held inside of Hogwarts.” Draco told him as he wrote out the polite but firm letter. “I have to write it anonymously because I do not want my father to be questioned about my request. It would appear suspicious. This way, they can’t say there was any type of interference or preferential treatment.”

            Harry let out a low whistle. “That is rather smart. If the Board of Governors isn’t fully listening to Severus, this should force their hands. Especially if we gather enough proof. We could even make a claim that they could be held liable since they were warned of wrong doings and did nothing.”

            Draco looked up in surprise. “I think I will hint at that in this.” He quickly wrote down vague threats that were written in the underlying subtext. “Brilliant.” He told Harry as he pushed pride into the bond.

            Pride was something that Harry wasn’t really used to outside of Draco but that was alright with him. He loved when Draco was proud of him, even if it was over threatening someone.

            “Kreacher.” *Pop*

            “Masters are home.” Kreacher croaked as he looked over his Masters, making sure they were alright.

            Draco smiled softly. “Yes, we are home. We will be at Grimmauld Place a little later, we aren’t sleeping here.”

            Kreacher nodded his head, his ears wiggled a little bit in the process. “Is that what Master Draco called Kreacher for? To get the house ready for Masters?”

            “No.” Draco shook his head. “I need you to have Azure deliver this letter for me. I don’t trust the school owls and I need it delivered tonight.” He would have Kreacher deliver it but there were wards detecting things like that at the Board of Governors’ office.

            “Right away Master Draco.” Kreacher paused for a moment. “It might be a little difficult. The owl is… unhappy at being left alone for so long.”

            Draco winced as he thought back to the last time he had seen his owl. Harry had gifted the sassy but grumpy bird to him and with everything that had happened with the darkness, there hadn’t been much time for the bird.

            “Kreacher has taken care of the bird but he isn’t… pleasant.” A pause. “The snake likes to try to eat him.”

            Harry and Draco let out matching groans. “We will take care of it when we get home.” Harry told Kreacher with a grateful smile. He was already anticipating the headache that would happen upon having to deal with Sephtis.

            When Kreacher apparated out of the room, Harry kissed Draco’s cheek. “Come, love.” He pulled on Draco’s hand. “We have a house to set straight.”

            “Lovely.” Draco muttered sarcastically.

            The halls were empty, which was kind of odd, it wasn’t too late. But Draco supposed that the other houses might be having similar meetings. The echoing of their footsteps was loud as they made their way towards the Gryffindor tower.

            The closer they got to the stairs leading up to the portrait, Harry could see someone waiting outside.

            “Neville?” Harry asked in confusion.

            “Harry.” Neville breathed out in relief. “Luna told me that you would want to talk to the house, so I made sure to gather everyone.”

            Draco sighed heavily. Of course Luna did. He caught the amused glint in Neville’s eyes and smiled as he rolled his own.

            “She didn’t tell me that Draco was coming, but I suspected so. You don’t really go anywhere without each other.”

            Harry rolled his eyes. “You make it seem as if we have codependency issues.”

            Neville hummed in thought but didn’t reply, causing Harry to look to Draco in question. “Do we have codependency issues?”

            “Possibly.” Draco said with a shrug. The cracking of the windows when Harry was about to leave the Slytherin common room would suggest that. “But I don’t care.” He paused to press a kiss to Harry’s cheek. “Besides, we are soulmates, it is to be expected that we are together.”

            “I didn’t suggest it was a problem.” Neville pointed out with a shake of his head as he whispered the password to the Fat Lady.

            The movement of the portrait swinging open had everyone on the inside going quiet.

            “Well this doesn’t bode well.” Draco whispered as the silence became awkward, they hadn’t even entered and it was already a stifling atmosphere. He watched Neville walk in before he turned to Harry.

            “Together?” Harry asked softly.

            “Together.” Draco agreed, making sure their fingers were entwined. He prayed that this would go well. He didn’t mind hexing Gryffindors, he just hoped it wouldn’t resort to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, cliffhangers are kind of my thing. No surprise there. I suck, I know. :P
> 
> I do think this has turned into a similar situation with the burrow. Where it was several chapters all regarding one instance. This is a long day for them and I will be writing so much into their day. Bear with me guys. 
> 
> Impatient Severus is... well I guess normal. Hahaha. Can't really say it is my thing since it is his everyday personality. 
> 
> Now, I know I contradicted myself a little bit in this chapter. In one breath Harry was trying to avoid doing the 'right thing' but then cited that very thing for the reason he was helping them. I wouldn't really say it is a duality thing, but more of just who he is. He knows the Slytherins aren't into that sort of thing but it had to be said anyways. He doesn't care if they agree with his statement or not. He is going to help them regardless.
> 
> I try to only use a Slytherin Rule one time. But #15 was needed in this discussion. I do have an entire document filled with Slytherin Rules that are itching to be used. I know the last installment didn't really use them but I will try to remember to keep them in mind. I am not even sure if you guys like the rules. Is that something you want to see more of? Let me know. 
> 
> Is Gryffindor house in anarchy? I mean... technically, yes. By definition it is a state of disorder due to a lack of authority. (Paraphrased, not quoted) I would have to classify it as anarchy. If we are going to get into an anarchism topic, that is totally different. There are plenty of debates regarding the ideals of having a system of no government. Intriguing but not what I was aiming for. 
> 
> We all know that Draco loves teaching and explaining things to Harry. He wasn't supposed to talk much about his house to Harry but he didn't care about breaking that rule. 
> 
> So, I know Theo had some mixed things going on. He is smart enough to know that something is going on with the two of them. He isn't sure what but is definitely curious. Also, I am not aiming for any dislike of him with this chapter, he is just trying to filter through his emotions and his jealousy. Which would be hard. He is still the nice guy I made him out to be, he just needs some time. 
> 
> I know that a lot of you probably were hoping that Draco would take over command from Daphne, but that just isn't in the cards. There is way too much he has to do and being leader will only hinder that. 
> 
> There wasn't an opportunity to explain the reason Astoria dislikes Draco, don't worry, I will get to it. 
> 
> Azure. I never intended to mention him for the one chapter in the first installment and then forget about him. It wasn't even that I forgot him, there just wasn't a whole lot of opportunity to mention him. Now there is. He is a grumpy little bird but I rather like him. 
> 
> I think that is all that I was going to say, I can't really remember at the moment. 
> 
> If you have any questions, let me know. 
> 
> -XxTheDarkLordxX


	5. Hunger, Prostitution and Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! There is death in this chapter and possible trigger warnings. 
> 
> So, obviously by the title of this chapter, you have noticed that this is not going to be the Gryffindor chapter. Apologies. This is not a filler chapter per se. It is actually vital to the story. I know you are looking forward to Harry telling off his house, no worries, that will come. You are receiving two longish chapters within two days, so that is the only peace offering I can provide you with. 
> 
> There is some Russian in this chapter. The translations are at the end notes. 
> 
> Hopefully you enjoy this chapter. It is one of my favorites and I had fun writing it.

            The dimming light was distracting. He was supposed to be working on another crime profile, preventive logistics, scoping out potential areas where they were to strike, comparing victims or some other fucking thing. His mind was so overworked, he was barely getting enough sleep and _definitely_ not enough food. There was a burning itch to his insides that wanted _more_.

            There are different stages to hunger. At first, it starts out as a mild irritation. Where one might crave a snack or a quick bite to eat, but the cravings can be easily ignored. They can be tuned out for more important things at that moment. Whether it be work, school or a current project. Anything.

           Soon the craving turns into a want. Where one will _want_ to eat something; the rumbling of the stomach forewarns that it has been too long since the last meal has been eaten. If one ignores the warnings and the urges of the body, it quickly turns into a need. A _need_ to eat something.

           Instead of the rumbling, now there is a hallow ache. The stomach is screaming out its protests, yelling the dissent while hoping for sustenance. It needs food and it needs it _now_. If one does not eat, then the aching sensation flares and all the capabilities to think outside of nourishment ceases. Even certain cuisine that was once previously detested, begins to sound preferable to the burning pain inside the abdomen.

           Things that are non-edible suddenly look delicious. The longer one goes without food the harder it is to focus. One will lose all sense of anything that doesn’t revolve around getting the hunger under control. Muscles start to weaken, breathing becomes labored and resolve starts to dwindle. The world looks bleak and colorless. Nothing matters anymore because the screaming of the insides is too loud to concentrate.

             When one goes too long without food they begin to fade away. Who they are, what they have done and what they must live for, suddenly doesn’t matter. The screams of the starving stomach are slowly going away until it is just a whispered yell. For just a blissful moment, one moment, the hunger all but disappears. Until there is nothing, they are nothing and no longer a part of this world. They die with a smile on their face because their last conscious thought is that, _finally_ , they are no longer hungry. The ache is gone and that alone feels wondrous.

            Things aren’t that drastic for Kenny but it is slowly getting there. His insides aren’t wired like a normal human being. His veins are _screaming_ for sustenance. Even a small taste. _Anything_.

            The dangers of the outside world are too big to ignore. The _Venadere_ are everywhere and can be anybody. Getting to feed isn’t as easy as it once was. Since his mating with Pyotr his council has been looking for him. He knows that his father is angry and displeased but he didn’t think it would be this bad. He didn’t think he would have to dodge both the _Venadere_ and his own kind, and for what? Love?

            Love. Growing up with the knowledge of soulmates, love was always the second prize. Something to settle for but never really knowing the true depths, since one was to find their other half. The hollow ache that represents his soulmate resembles the burning pain of being hungry. Only one of those has a solution while the other does not. He could eat and satisfy one of those urges but finding a soulmate isn’t as easy.

            Kenny always thought that a soulmate was the true romance. The one to strive for. The stories parents whisper at night, the romanticized ideals that kids dream of. But really, it is a nightmare. A nightmare with no end in sight. They tell you the positives of a soulmate and gush the benefits. But no one speaks of the ramifications when you never find that person. The lonely pain and agonizing grief is strong and so heady. Nearly unbearable to live with.

           A soulmate is the one thing that he craves but won’t ever get. It is the knowledge of knowing that there is a happiness out there that he will never have. A longing that will never be filled. A love that will never be matched.

            If he had met Harry and Draco before his mating with Pyotr, the sensation of their bond would have crippled him. To have the very thing he had craved for, for so long, thrusted in front of his face, flaunted unintentionally, would have been his undoing.

            Love wasn’t something he had thought could legitimately exist outside of a soulmate. It wasn’t until Pyotr came along that Kenny realized just how wrong he had been. There are so many types of love in the world. Each person gives love in different ways. The depths of one love might not match someone else’s. While a different love could surpass the previous. Some love can be toxic, corrupt and _wrong_. When one loves correctly, with positive intentions, it can be beautiful. Something to marvel and observe reverently.

            Pyotr opened his eyes to so much of the world that he hadn’t been aware existed. Several colors he had written out of existence on the basis of wrong facts. Beautiful shades that Kenny honestly couldn’t live without now. They may never be able to love as strongly or as deeply as a soulmate pairing might, but that didn’t mean their love was less in any way.

            Being an Incubus provided him with abilities to detect certain emotions. There are feelings that people don’t realize that are intertwined in sexual urges. Love is one of those emotions that he can detect. It changes from person to person. Everyone is different and especially regarding their emotions. Sometimes love is completely absent from sexual acts. Sometimes it is at the forefront. With Pyotr, love is always there, he can detect his mate’s love at nearly all times. It is something that he wouldn’t give up for the world.

            Since his mating, there has been a change to how he eats. Becoming a partial vampire had never been something he had expected, nor had he thought he would fall in love with one. There is a thirst for blood but it has not lowered the need to be fulfilled by sexual pleasure either. His friends can offer their blood and that will satisfy that part of him but he needs more than that. He needs his Incubus nature fulfilled as well.

            When one feeds off of sexual desires, acts and pleasure, it becomes a chore. Eating isn’t something he would do for fun, it is a necessity. His sister is someone who can easily intertwine the two. Scarlett takes pleasure in feeding _and_ in the act of sex at the same time. That is not something Kenny has ever been able to do. It might be the romantic personality inside of him, but he wouldn’t be able to feed off of sex while with someone and then go home to his mate. That just wouldn’t do. Nor would he want to feed off of Pyotr. They are two different parts of his world that should never mingle. He wouldn’t be able to separate the two ever again. He needs to be able to look at his food and sex as two different things. Which makes feeding difficult.

            Observing would be the closest definition to how he eats. Even as a child, he would never initiate the typical means of feeding that a lot of his kind do. A secondhand sexual desire is all he knows. He wouldn’t partake in intercourse himself while eating. He opens his senses and delves into _other_ people’s desires. Ones where he isn’t a participant. Emotional emissions aren’t descriptors for figurative speech. People release tangible secretions in all kinds of emotions. Especially sexual ones. The air and the atmosphere has a certain tang to it, one that can fulfill his Incubus nature without having to partake in anything physical.

            What he does is a choice. He knows his kind don’t understand it. It isn’t as if he is judging them for how they choose to eat, their way just doesn’t work for him. It isn’t the kind of Incubus he wants to be. As seedy as Venom had been, it was the perfect place to have a secondhand loop to feed off of. The whole place was filled with people emitting their sexual desires. Eating was easy. But out here? No. Leprechauns don’t view sex quite the same way as an Incubus. The majority look at him as if he was going to force them into the act. Which he supposes isn’t too far off. Scarlett is a prime example of a Succubus who abuses their power.

           Luckily, they were provided a room to work, because the Leprechaun population was treating him differently. Incubi and Leprechauns don’t have a negative history with each other, which is great. Only problem is that they don’t have _any_ history with each other. Their species haven’t really mingled much. Mostly because Leprechauns had to migrate to Ireland and hardly ever leave. Before their migration, a lot of species avoided his kind due to the Incubus wars.

            The prejudice between Magical Beings was something he wasn’t really used to. He knew that the Leprechauns didn’t mean to offend him but they were. He wasn’t going to ravage the population just because he can feed of sexual pleasures. He wasn’t like that.

            Kenny knew that he needed to eat. The ache of his stomach was getting harder to ignore. He had seen firsthand what can happen to an Incubus that dies of starvation. It isn’t pretty, nor is it something he would ever want to experience. But he knew that he would be traveling down that route if he didn’t do something. His mate didn’t really understand why he wouldn’t just feed off of him. But Kenny didn’t know how to explain the morality to it. He didn’t _want_ to feed off of Pyotr. His mate was _so_ much more than something to gain sustenance from. Pyotr was to be treated with the respect he deserves and feeding from him would be the opposite. He loved his mate with everything that he had and he just couldn’t do it. Couldn’t stoop to that level. His kind don’t regard sex the same way as everyone else. It wasn’t a special act, it was means to and end and Kenny _refused_ to be like that.

            “What is troubling you, _MIlaya Moyna_?” Pyotr whispered as he lifted Kenny’s chin up till he could see into indigo eyes.

            Kenny’s mouth curled into a smile at the endearment. Oh, he loved this man. “I’m hungry.” He admitted quietly as he pretended their friends couldn’t hear them. He watched brown eyes tinted with red narrow in concern.

            “How bad is it?” When Kenny looked away instead of replying, he heard a long-suffering sigh.

            “Why didn’t you tell me?”

            “I didn’t want you to worry.” The muffled curse words in Russian had Kenny hiding a smile as he bit his lip. He snapped his eyes to his lover when he felt the thumb holding his chin begin to softly caress his cheek.

            “I will always worry about you. You are my world. _Ne magu zhIt bes tebya_ ”

            “We _can_ understand Russian, you know.” Joseph spoke up form a position with his head in his arms, resting on the table, not bothering to look up at them.

            Pyotr rolled his eyes. _“Idi nahui.”_

            The insult had Joseph snorting loudly. “Kenny, you let him kiss you with that mouth?”

            “I let him do a lot with that mouth.” Kenny smirked wickedly at the way Joseph snapped his head up in surprise. He looked over to Jake and Blake but the both of them were slumped over in their chairs, with their mouths open, passed out to the world.

            “My my.” Joseph smirked openly. “You _are_ hungry, aren’t you?”

            Kenny huffed in frustration. “Needing sexual gratification and my need to feed are two completely different things.”

            “Horny.” Joseph corrected. “Horny, say it with me.”

            Pyotr leaned forward and bared his fangs. Not in a show of anger but more a demonstration. “Continue to antagonize him and I will bite you.”

            Joseph leaned back in his chair as he crossed his hands behind his head. “Maybe I will let you. Just so that I can experience what exactly it is you can do with that mouth.”

            Kenny growled low in his throat as he tried to hide the twitching of his mouth. “You are just upset because Cian isn’t here, so therefore jealous that we can partake in intercourse while you can’t.”

            “Sex.” Joseph corrected. “Sex, say it with me.” He held his hands up quickly in defeat when Pyotr stood up. “I was just kidding!” He backtracked.

            When Pyotr sat back down, Joseph sighed. “Damn right I’m jealous.” He grumbled rather put out. “I just wish he was here. I don’t like him speaking to the Goblin council without me there.”

            “We have been over this.” Pyotr told him with a shake of his head. “When dealing in Luck, they have to be careful who is around. Especially on the surface the Goblins were wanting to meet. The ground that far below the earth would have been a too confining space for you to be around. Some effects would have been implanted inside you.”

            “I know, I know.” Joseph growled out as he folded his arms back on the table and rested his head on them. “I just don’t like it.” He complained, looking up at them both.

            “And I don’t like your whining.” Kenny snapped. He clenched his fists when he saw Joseph and Pyotr share concerned looks.

            “Kenny.” Joseph began in a hesitant tone.

            “Don’t.” He snapped back. “Don’t tell me what I already know.” Kenny growled out. He knew he was stretching it, knew that he needed to eat but it was dangerous.

            Pyotr leaned forward, pulling Kenny into his arms. “ _Angel moy_.” He whispered before placing a soft kiss below Kenny’s ear. “Don’t starve yourself.”

            Kenny opened his mouth to tell him that it wasn’t a choice but a byproduct of circumstances but before he could, his lover continued kissing his skin.

            “Will you feed? I would offer you my body but I know you will say no.” There were no emotions behind the words, just simple facts. “Please? It pains me to see you in need.”

            Kenny knew he shouldn’t look into his lover’s eyes, knew that the pull would be too strong. But he had always been weak when it came to Pyotr. One look into worried eyes and he sagged his shoulders in defeat.

            “Alright.” He conceded. Kenny pointedly ignored the whoop of triumph from Joseph.

            “I’ll go with you, be your backup.” Joseph offered, already moving to stand up.

            “No.” Kenny argued firmly. “I don’t need backup.” He didn’t like people coming with him. Didn’t want to them to witness what he did. It was uncomfortable to begin with, having an audience would just make it worse.

            “But-”

            “No.” Kenny repeated forcefully as he stood up. He looked to his mate in consideration before pressing a kiss to his forehead. “I love you. I’ll be back shortly.”

            “Not too shortly.” Pyotr warned knowingly. “Don’t hurry back and not fully satisfy your hunger.” He paused to stare intently at Kenny. “I love you as well.”

            Kenny nodded once before walking out, he lifted his hand in a goodbye for Joseph but didn’t offer any words. He would have to apologize later to his friend but he was too agitated at the moment. He was _so_ hungry.

            When the door swung shut, Joseph turned to look at Pyotr. “We aren’t letting him go alone, are we?”

            Pyotr adopted a look that clearly told him how stupid that was. “I question your mental capabilities more and more as the days pass.”

            An indignant huff was his reply. “Rude. I will have you know that—”

            “No one cares.” Jake told him as he sat up with a groan, stretching his muscles. “How can anyone get any sleep around here?”

            “Sleep?” Joseph argued with a snort. “You weren’t supposed to be sleeping. You were _supposed_ to be going over the latest sightings of the _Venadere_.”

            “Hmm.” Jake hummed as he leaned forward to inspect Joseph’s work. “It looks like you are on the same autopsy report as when I fell asleep.” He pointed out with a smirk. “What were you doing? At least I was productive enough for a nap.”

            “How is a nap productive?”

            “How could it _not_ be productive?” Blake retorted as he too sat up and lifted his hands over his head. “At least we did _something_.”

            “I don’t think napping counts as doing something, when compared to actual work.” Joseph argued.

            “Which you didn’t even do.” Jake and Blake pointed out in unison, with identical smug smirks.

            “All of you shut up.” Pyotr commanded when it looked like Joseph was going to argue back. “None of that matters. The important thing is that we are going to follow Kenny and make sure that he is alright.”

            “He isn’t going to like that.” Jake pointed out as his cousin nodded along.

            “I know.” Pyotr retorted with a shrug. “If he finds out, then we can blame it on Joseph.”

            “Hey!” Joseph cried out while the other two snorted in open amusement. “You are _not_ going to blame me! I am not his mate, you are. Isn’t there some kind of guideline you are to follow? Always love and protect each other. Not blame others. Like in sickness and health, or whatnot?”

            “That is a muggle marriage, you idiot.” Pyotr mumbled. “There _is_ a guideline I like to follow, and that is to blame you. Gets me out of plenty of tight situations.”

            “I don’t believe this.” Joseph whispered as he stood up. “I mean, I do because it is you, I just don’t like it.”

            “Where do you think he will go? He doesn’t know much of Ireland.” Blake pointed out as he pulled Jake up from his chair, ignoring Joseph completely.

            Pyotr said nothing as he turned around and walked out of the room. He could hear them all scramble to follow after him. There was a gaggle of simpering girls near the exit. He sighed internally as he mentally prepared himself for this conversation.

            “Excuse me, can you tell me where the most populated form of prostitution is inside Ireland?”

            Joseph choked on his tongue as Jake and Blake gaped inelegantly. They weren’t the only ones either, the group of girls dropped their mouths open before letting out giggles.

            “Why pay for what you can get for free?” One of the bolder girls spoke up as she sent an obvious look up and down his body.

            “I am taken.” Pyotr pointed out. He knew that she knew this. The whole village knew they were together.

            “To the Incubus.” There was a curl of distaste to her lips that had him clenching his fists in an attempt at not baring his fangs.

            “To the love of my life.” Pyotr corrected. “The question, if you will.” He prompted her impatiently.

            “Try Dublin.” One of the girls in the back spoke up. She had kind eyes and long grey hair. “It isn’t exactly the red-light district anymore but it is relatively the same. Leeson street is pretty popular with ladies of the trade.”

            “Thank you.” He told her in gratitude as he pushed past them all. He could hear the girls whispering to each other. “How did you know that?”

            “My business is my own.” He heard the kinder one tell her firmly.

            “Why do you think Kenny would go there?” Jake asked. “Does he pick up prostitutes?” Blake wondered at the same time.

            Pyotr snorted as he shook his head. “No, Kenny doesn’t sleep with prostitutes. Doesn’t sleep with anyone that isn’t me.”

            “We thought so, but it just doesn’t make sense.” Joseph piped up. “He doesn’t ever really say what he does. I know he isn’t like his sister but what does he really do?”

            “Ask him yourself.” Pyotr retorted with a glare. “If he doesn’t want to tell you then respect that.”

            “I never met a prostitute.” Jake whispered, breaking the tension.

            Joseph smacked the back of his head. “It isn’t like a tourist attraction. You don’t write home about seeing one. It’s their job.”

            “I wasn’t judging!” Jake argued as he rubbed his head. “I was just pointing out the obvious.”

            The bickering only picked up as they made their way towards the apparation points on the outskirt of the docks.

            “I will never understand _why_ I bother having you lot as my friends.” Pyotr ground out when Joseph shoved Jake in the water, only to have Blake retaliate on his cousin’s behalf and return the favor. Joseph on his way down, grabbed hold of Blake’s shirt and sent him following suit.

            “Probably a lack of character.” Joseph wheezed out as he pulled himself up onto the dock. “Just goes to show that you are missing things if you see them in us.”

            The horribly lacking statement wasn’t even worth his time. Pyotr ignored him and pulled up the remaining two morons.

            “Idiots.” He told all of them as he grabbed hold of them and apparated out of there.

 

* * *

 

            Kenny looked around the darkened alley in distaste. He was just happy to find it deserted. As he exited, he noticed several girls along the sidewalks across the street that were definitely prostitutes but that wasn’t exactly what he was looking for. He needed minimal contact.

            “Looking for a good time?” A purr of a silky voice had him cringing on the inside. He briefly looked up and met the lady’s eyes. “No, thank you.”       

            He was about to talk away before he realized something. “Would you happen to know somewhere I can go to… watch… a show?”

            The throaty chuckle he received wasn’t as off putting as the come on but it still sent his nerves up a little. There was something about her that he didn’t like.

            “Voyeurism is your thing, huh?”

            No, it really wasn’t but he wasn’t going to explain himself.

            “See that dark building up there? Looks a little rundown from the outside. It is a record shop but the back is where the music really starts beating.”

            Kenny closed his eyes briefly, trying to control the urge to snap at her.

            “They provide anonymous viewing. You pay a little money and watch a show, it is extra if you want a private booth.” She paused to laugh again. “I’m not as young as I used to be, so I am afraid I don’t fit the criteria.”

            He wasn’t even going to remotely touch that. “Thank you.” He supplied again before walking away.

            The record shop did look rundown, crumbling brick and decaying plants littering the front. The window was so dirty he wondered if anyone could see out of it. The name of the store was so old that the letters had long ago faded, making it unreadable. Aesthetically, it was awful. It made Kenny wonder if the inside would be sanitary. God, he hoped so. There was a few people ignoring the front entrance all together in favor of walking to the back. He followed them all closely, shooting suspicious looks around him, there was something in the air that he couldn’t quite detect. If he had to guess he would say anticipation but that could be coming from several people.

            Inside wasn’t fairing any better, Kenny decided. Everything was pretty dim when it came to lighting. But the gaudy red upholstery that was glaring at him from every angle was so overused that he was positive ass marks were indented into the leather. A line leading from a ticket booth was near the right side of the room. He took note of the people lining up and assumed this was where he needed to go.

            The line didn’t take too long, it would appear that some special show was going on tonight. He hoped it wasn’t the only thing they provided.

            “Next.” Kenny sighed when it was his turn.

            “You here to see Molly Malone?” The bored cashier asked him before he could speak up.

            “Is that a private showing?”

            “No.” The woman retorted chewing on some kind of stick. “I’ve only got a few showings that are private. One already started a few minutes ago, the gentleman who was viewing left, I can’t guarantee the participants will be in there longer than thirty minutes.”

            “I only need fifteen.” Kenny told her. The snorts he heard behind him had him realizing how that sounded.

            “I didn’t mean it like—” Her eyes let him know that she didn’t care about what he had to say at all. “Nevermind. I’ll take it.” He sighed in defeat as he handed over the proper amount of muggle money.

            The cashier handed over his ticket and directed him to the hall that he would need to go. The hallway was narrow and dark. He tucked his arms into his body, making sure not to touch _anything_ , not even the walls.

            When Kenny made it to the area that matched the number on his ticket, he opened the door. The room was rather small, it had a small couch that he would not be touching and that was about it. There was a two-way mirror, allowing him to see the two participants but allowing them the privacy not to see him. Which was honestly the best he could ask for. He made sure to lock the door, he didn’t want anyone to walk in on him and see anything.

            There were small tiny holes in the glass, allowing the sounds to come through more authentically than the speakers around the room. Which was perfect. It allowed their secretions to seep through. The two on the other side of the mirror weren’t very good at what they were doing. To anyone else, it would appear as if they really were partaking in intercourse but there wasn’t any enjoyment in the act. There was a manual aspect to it, as if they were treating this as a chore or a job. Which in all actuality they probably were, but that wouldn’t provide him much sustenance. He needed them to be more active in their pleasure, otherwise he would have to try somewhere else.

            Kenny opened his palms and allowed a small number of pheromones to seep outward. It took a few seconds before there was a renewed bout of energy between the woman and the man. The previous fake moans and groans blended into real sounds of enjoyment.

            The volume increased, which was a positive indicator that they would provide for him adequately, he just wished he didn’t have to listen to them. He hated this. Hated having to watch other people enjoy themselves. It was not his thing.

            The sound of skin slapping against skin had him glancing at them quickly to make sure things were still going well before he looked elsewhere. There was a sparkling of red emitting out of the holes in the mirror, mixed in with a pale lilac and a black color.

           Emotions emit different colors to his magic. The red signified the typical passion that would be normally related to sexual acts. The black was coming from the male, who was laying on his back staring at the ceiling rather than the girl. Black tends to represent hatred or a strong dislike of someone. His best guess was that the man didn’t really care for his coworker. While the lilac signified the opposite, the woman had some feelings for the man. He might have felt guilty for manipulating them but this was their job. They were going to do this with or without him.

            He closed his eyes as he began spreading out his magic and sucking in the secretions released into the air. With each inhale, his magic supplied their pleasure into his veins and exhaled out his own happiness at being fed. He tried to tune out their moaning and only focus on their emissions but he knew that wouldn’t be wise. He needed to be aware of what else was going on in the room.

            Kenny bit his lip as he sent out more pheromones. It was risky putting out too much but he needed more and he wasn’t going to go anywhere else. The woman’s screams escalated and soon, their secretions increased. The atmosphere was filled with so much that it was almost a feast. Kenny’s eyes grew heavy as he took more and more inside of himself.

            Over indulgence was deadly to an Incubus. When one becomes selfish and sucks in too much sexual pleasure, their receptors can’t handle it and their magic can grow unstable. He wasn’t at the point of no return, but he was close. A small part of him, the part that had been starving, wanted to eat and eat, wanted to hoard what he could now and store it for later. Which was the problem in waiting too long in between meals.

            Luckily, the two behind the mirror reached their pinnacle before he could take in too much more. Their groans of satisfaction couldn’t match the satisfaction filtering throughout Kenny’s body now that he was completely sated. He felt full, fuller than he had in weeks.

            The high of being fed distracted Kenny on his way out. The path towards the unsanitary alley was longer than he thought it was but he was too sated to worry about that. He nodded distractedly to the lady who had given him the directions. He quickly ran into the deserted alley. Kenny was too caught up in getting back to his lover that he became unaware of his senses. Which was a fatal flaw. Before he knew it, he was ensnared in a weaving of magic.

            “Ahh little Kenny is all grown up.”

            Kenny’s eyes widened at the sound of his brother. _His exiled brother_. He snapped his head up and swore under his breath at the sight of several bodies covered in black with white masks showing through hoods.

            “Wes, you didn’t.” Kenny whispered when he realized he was completely surrounded.

            “Oh please.” The scornful tone had Kenny wishing he could go back to the days when they were children and his older brother had taught him everything he knew.

            “Did you think I _wasn’t_ going to find a way to get back at father. This was the best way to accomplish that.”

            The emblems sparking on the corner of their masks had Kenny whimpering on the inside. It was the insignia of the Dwarf Cosa Nostra that was glinting off the moonlight. A branch off of the original Mafia but truly renegades.

            Kenny ignored the remarks about their father. He wasn’t in line to take over anymore, not since he denied his heritage to mate with Pyotr. “What do you want with me?”

            Several chuckles could be heard, Kenny just wished his brother would take off the mask, so that he could see him. He hadn’t seen his sibling since he was a teenager and the other boy had been exiled for not having enough magical ability to maintain the requirements to rule. The decision was cruel and Kenny had always hated his father for that but that wasn’t his fault, why would Wesley hold that against him? If that really was what was going on.

            “There is a hefty price if you are brought into the council headquarters.”

            Kenny winced at that. He knew his father was looking for him but he didn’t think he would stoop this low.

            “Father hired you?” He asked doubtfully. As far as he knew, Wes hadn’t been in contact with anyone inside the family.

            “Heavens no.” Wesley retorted as he took off his mask. Kenny looked at the face that so resembled his fathers. His brother grew up well. Despite the situation, he couldn’t help but retain every curve and etching of Wesley’s skin, couldn’t help but remember the frown lines that marred his forehead or the chewed lips marking stress. He wasn’t sure when he would ever get another chance to see his brother, Kenny wanted to make sure he would remember this moment.

            “It would appear that you have started a new business venture that is making it difficult for the ones who hired us.”

            Kenny furrowed his brows. Business venture? What was he talking about? There was no business. The only thing he had been focusing on as of late was their new organization. His eyes widened.

            “The _Venadere_ hired you?” He whispered in horror. “ _Why_ would you take anything from them? They are slaughtering Magical Beings!”

            A harsh chuckle came from his brother, one that he couldn’t ever remember hearing before. Exile did not suit him.

            “What do I care about some dead werewolves?”

            “Are you kidding me?” Kenny scoffed. “They aren’t just slaughtering werewolves. They are going for us all. They are already succeeding in many places all over the world. Getting you involved just proves how smart they are. They are getting Magical Beings to take out their own kind!” How stupid could his brother be? This wasn’t a werewolf problem. Why was that the first thing people think of?

            A flash of doubt briefly covered Wesley’s features before he schooled them in a practiced nonchalance. “As soon as I heard who the target was, well, I knew that I wouldn’t be doing what they asked.”

            The tone of his voice wasn’t very reassuring. Kenny didn’t dare get his hopes up that sibling love would save him.

            “I wonder how much father would pay to get his beloved son back?”

            Dread filled Kenny. His father would be no better than the _Venadere_. Not after he defied the council rulings and abandoned his heritage for the sake of love.

            “I am not his beloved.” Kenny argued as he squared his shoulders and felt out the magic surrounding him. There was definite Dwarf qualities but it wasn’t strong. Almost as if it was manmade, a cheap impression at aiming for the real thing.

            “I am in exile, just as you.”

            That was apparently the wrong thing to say. The magic containing him sent a jolt of energy into his body, zapping at his receptors, making it hard to let out any extra emissions that he might pick up from onlookers.

            “ _By choice_.” Wesley spat out, coming as close to the confining magic as possible. “I was forcibly removed from the only home I had ever known. Kicked onto the streets without a single galleon to my name and just expected to either make it on my own or die trying.”

            Kenny winced at his brother’s statement. He had begged their father to reconsider, cried for him to take the ruling back but nothing had worked. Later, when he was able to do anything, he tried to find Wesley and send him money but he couldn’t find a whisper of him anywhere.

            “I had no choice in my exile. _You_ on the other hand threw it away! And for what? Love?” Wesley scoffed heavily. “Pitiful. What a disgrace.”

            Those were the same words his father had told him when he tried explaining his reasons for mating with Pyotr. To hear his brother—the one he had once considered a role model—say them now, it hurt. Hurt a lot.

            “I thought I taught you better than that. I thought you were worthy of your title.”

            It was a horrible flashback, Kenny wasn’t sure what was a memory and what wasn’t. Wesley was saying eerily similar things and it was making his stomach churn.

            “What can love give you that your title couldn’t? What good is love when you could rule over our people? What can your precious Vampire do for you? What use is he?”

            Before Kenny could respond, he felt a recognizable tug of his magic. It was the same tug that woke him every morning, the same tug that filled his body at night, the same tug that sparked whenever he entered the room after leaving.

            “Useful enough to break your neck.” Pyotr spat out as his hand grabbed hold of the man and lifted him up in the air.

            “Don’t kill him.” Kenny whispered as Joseph, Blake and Jake began fighting with the remaining members of Wesley’s group.

            “ _Solnyshka moyos_ , he would have condemned you to death with either of his choices. Why? Why do you save him?”

            Kenny bit his lip at the painful truth. His mate was right, Wesley would have condemned him to death. But it was his brother. He couldn’t sanction the death of his only brother.

            “Kill the rest of them but keep him alive.” Kenny decided firmly as he pulled out his wand and began tackling the spells keeping him in place.

            “You often play bitch to my brother?” Wesley spat out the best he could with a strong hand gripping his throat.

            “When the mood strikes.” Pyotr retorted easily, not allowing himself to get caught up in an attempt to rile him. “You are wrong about Kenny.” He tightened his told on the pathetic man in front of him.

            “Kenny loved you. Spent years trying to find you, tired himself out and then cried himself to sleep when every dead end turned up. You aren’t worthy of his hard work. Aren’t worthy of the effort he put into you. It makes me sick to think that you would offer him up just as a means to get back at your father.”

            “Pyotr.” Kenny called out as the false signatures of Dwarf magic fell. “He isn’t worth it. Save your breath, my love.”

            “You aren’t worth it.” Pyotr whispered in agreement inside Wesley’s ear. “You don’t deserve to walk free.” He slammed his free hand down hard enough to crack the man’s collarbone. The yells that were released were definitely music to his ears.

            “You said not to kill, never said anything about maiming.” Pyotr retorted when Kenny stopped to stare at him incredulously.

            “I didn’t think the distinction was necessary.” He mumbled as he finally was able to break the magic containing him.

            Joseph snorted loudly as he sent a bone breaking curse at his opponent’s knees. The strangled yell was reward enough for the cut on his cheek that the man had given him moments ago. He dragged the masked man towards Pyotr.

            “Here, I don’t want his death on my conscience.”

            Pyotr shot him a disbelieving look as he used his free hand and his enhanced abilities to snap his neck, providing a painless and instant death.

            “I do believe you brining me him, leaves you accountable in some fashion.”

            “Hey.” Joseph argued. “It allows me to sleep at night, don’t begrudge me of this.”

            “Hmm.” Pyotr hummed. “This doesn’t help your case, I still believe I am losing faith in your mental abilities.”

            “I love that you have time to talk but _some_ of us don’t have that luxury!” Jake yelled out angrily as he threw himself behind a trash can to avoid a killing curse aimed at his head.

            “Do you want the last words you spoke to us to be in derision?” Joseph mocked as he shot a stunner at Jake’s opponent, who dodged it. “I mean, wouldn’t you want your last words to be something uplifting or meaningful?”

            “Fuck you!” Jake retorted as they both sent binding ropes around the man, the ropes made contact with his abdomen, knocking him over. “How was that for uplifting?”

            “Needs work.” Kenny panted as he dodged a bombarda that Blake’s attacker had shot between the two of them. The ground exploded on contact, sending him falling to his knees.

            Pyotr walked to the bound man and used his foot to crush the man’s throat so that no sound would escape when he kicked the skull hard enough to crack the bones and the face to cave in from the force of the blow. He used the Incubus in his hand as a shield to block him from the spray of blood. He really loved his extra strength sometimes.

            “Do you see how easily I could kill you?” Pyotr mocked to the struggling Incubus still in his grasp. “Do you realize that the only reason you are breathing is the love of your brother?” There was no response, not that he expected one.

            “You two are slipping if you need my help.” Joseph remarked as he pulled Kenny away from an oncoming curse.

            “Thank you.” Kenny whispered gratefully as he squeezed his friend’s hand.

            Joseph flashed him a brilliant smile. “I knew your crabby attitude was just because you were hungry. I was beginning to think you were growing to detest my presence.”

            “If _I_ say that I detest your presence, will that make you leave?” Blake wondered as he transfigured the lid to the bin into a makeshift shield that splintered as a spell made contact with it.

            “Not a chance bleach boy.” Joseph grinned at the outraged noises released by Jake and Blake.

            “Just because you are tan and gorgeous does _not_ mean you have to rub it in to the unfortunate. We have a skin condition you prick.” Jake shot a stinging hex at his friend before shooting a spell to send a piece of rubble that had been uprooted by the previous bombarda at his cousin’s attacker.

            When the rubble made contact with the man’s head, it sent him spiraling to the floor with a pained grunt.

            Pyotr walked forward and quickly snapped the man’s neck before looking to the rest of the group. There were several cuts, bruises and blood marring their features and tears along their clothes but there was no wounds that he could see.

            “What do I do with him?” Pyotr asked as he threw the man on the floor, hard. He grabbed the wand that hadn’t ever been removed from the man’s robes and threw it to Blake and watched his friend snap it.

            Kenny walked over to his lover and wrapped an arm around his waist. He looked down into the hate filled eyes of his sibling and sighed heavily. “Ignore father and the bounty he placed on my head. You are going to go back to the _Venadere_ and tell them that they can’t silence us this easily. We _aren’t_ weak and we _are_ amassing followers. Their threat to the world will not win. We will save all Magical Beings and destroy them in the process.”

            There was an almost proud gleam to Wesley’s eyes, one that Kenny ignored. He couldn’t get caught up in his brother. Not now, not when things were getting out of control.

            “Let’s go.” Kenny whispered. “Cian might be home by now, we need to let him know what has happened.”

            “Hell yeah!” Joseph pumped his fist in the air, no doubt excited to see his boyfriend. His excitement however did not stop him from sending a kick to Wesley’s groin.

            “That was for attempting to hurt Kenny.”

            Kenny looked down to the floor as a smile stretched across his face. “Come on.” He urged them. They all linked hands before the crack of an apparation surrounded the deserted alley.

* * *

 

            Wesley lay panting on the ground, severely regretting every action in his life that led up to this point. “How in the world am I supposed to explain this away?” He whispered to himself as he attempted to sit up, his throat was killing him, his body was aching and his collarbone was definitely broken.

            The clicking of approaching heels had him snapping his head up, he winced when the action sent unimaginable pain throughout his already aching body. He scowled at the prostitute who had been here on the corner to direct his brother towards the area he fed from.

            “I am in no condition for any form of sexual activity.” He breathed out harshly, hoping she would take the hint and just leave.

            “You aren’t in any condition to do _anything_.” The woman argued with a wide toothy smile. One that had him cringing internally.

            “Look lady, just go proposition someone else. I have a job to do.”

            “Mm. So do I.” The woman whispered as her features began to change, much to the horror of Wesley. He closed his eyes tightly when her face formed and the obvious polyjuice potion melted away.

            The woman who had hired him was staring down at him in disgust. He didn’t even get to open his mouth before a wand was pointed at him.

            “Avada Kedavra.” She sneered it with contempt. She watched the life leave the pathetic Incubus with satisfaction.

             “We received their message.” She whispered. “Loud and clear.” Daeva was not looking forward to telling her superiors about this. It would seem the resistance was not as weak as they originally assumed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright. 
> 
> The hunger descriptions in the beginning aren't to be taken so literal. It was more of a describing factor. I am not a doctor nor would I know exactly how it feels to die of starvation. Same applies for the snapping of the necks. I do realize it is not as easy to snap a neck as it sounds, let alone one handed. Keep in mind that Pyotr is different than the average person. He does have a lot of strength inside of him. Still probably not quite realistic but I don't care. :P
> 
> I debated about how I wanted the point of view to go in this chapter. I had known for a while that I wanted to do a chapter regarding Kenny and Pyotr. It didn't turn out the way I had originally intended but that is alright. I do really enjoy this chapter. It allowed me to go into some depths to not only Kenny's character but what he does as an Incubus. Now, I know by the typical means of an Incubus, that would have him sleeping with his food. But Kenny isn't that type of person. I just can't see him do that. I get Pyotr's confusion when it comes to why Kenny can't just sleep with him and feed at the same time. But keep in mind that Incubi don't regard sex as something special. To them they have become to desensitized about the whole thing. Kenny wants his sex life to remain special and beautiful. He already has a hard time with how he eats, I think if he was to combine the two, it would lessen it in a way for him. Perhaps it is just an unfounded worry but it is one that he doesn't want to risk. Hopefully that made sense. 
> 
> I get grumpy when I am hungry too. Totally understood where Kenny was coming from. Haha. :P
> 
> Molly Malone, that was a play on an Irish legend of sorts. Not sure if it actually counts as a legend. Anyways, there is a whole thing about it but I won't go into details. I am too tired at the moment. Just know that there were two different women that people were saying was the same. The lady they made a statue out of was never proven to be the same woman that worked as a prostitute. 
> 
> The woman who killed Wesley was the same one who killed Abigail's father. Hopefully you remembered her name the first time. If not, oh well. Wesley was a name that popped up on an article when looking up a name. My first thought was Star Trek and then I obviously had to go that route. I enjoyed Wesley in the show but definitely not this Wesley in the story. He is a little bitch. 
> 
> For my Singapore boys and the deaths. I know morally, it isn't something that say Harry would do but these boys are sooo not Harry. They have seen way too much shit in their lives to care about a lot of moral things. Not to mention, the renegades would have killed them anyways. Also, I don't really have respect over the fact that they willingly allowed themselves to be employed by the organization that is killing Magical Beings. I suppose it was just Pyotr who did the actual killing. Same applies. 
> 
> Russian was a little difficult. Using google translate doesn't quite work right. Google was trying to do a literal translation instead of what I am actually aiming at. I had to go off of other content. Most of what Pyotr says is endearments. Russian has a written language that is spelled completely different than the pronounced words. What I used was the pronounced, because he was speaking it. If the pronounced spelling doesn't quite add up, then sorry. I am not bilingual here. 
> 
> MIlaya Moyna- My sweet  
> Ne magu zhIt bes tebya- I can't live without you  
> Idi nahui- fuck you  
> Angel moy- My angel  
> Solnyshka moyos- My sun. (When double checking with google, it was saying it was sweetheart. Not entirely sure which one is accurate. Either way Pyotr is a sap and I love it.)
> 
> I will check for spelling mistakes when I wake up, I did already look it over but sometimes things slip through. No need to point them out, I will find them eventually. 
> 
> Let me know your thoughts or if you have any questions. 
> 
> -XxTheDarkLordxX


	6. Lack of Etiquette

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do apologize for the wait. It was not due to writer's block this time. I would like to address something. In the last 11 days, I have written over 55k words. No, it wasn't for just one story. It was spread out between three of my stories and four chapters. Still, that is quite a lot. This series IS my priority but it is not my only one. Just because I may not have updated this one quickly, does not mean that I am doing nothing. I can only do so much at one time. I need to be able to express my creative ideas, if I was to ONLY work on this series then my mind would get frustrated quickly and burn out. Which happened during the first installment. I need to be able to take a breather and work on something else so that I am able to keep writing this series. I will try my hardest to update this one quicker but don't hold your breath and please be understanding. 
> 
> There isn't any warnings for this chapter. 
> 
> This chapter is 6k words. Nothing long but more of my typical length chapters. I might have written more but I was not in a good mood and decided to stop while I was ahead before I took out my frustrations on my characters. Lol, that wouldn't be good. 
> 
> Enjoy.

            There was a sense of nervous anticipation in the bond. Most of it was coming from Draco. He wasn’t entirely sure about this. Wasn’t confident in the safety of the room. As they walked in, he could see the surprise the Gryffindors held quickly replaced by disgust. It was a completely mutual feeling but he wasn’t going to voice his thoughts or express them with expressions. Sometimes, less is more. Clearly something that these heathens had never been taught.

            _Oh god_. Draco shuddered internally as he looked away from the Gryffindors and took note of their common room. Red. _Everywhere_. There wasn’t a single chair or couch that wasn’t scarlet. Normally, the gold of the Gryffindor colors would have made the red a little complimentary but not here. Not with the way the fireplace and low-lit lanterns had the red hues screaming at him from every direction. It made the scarlet shades pop out in a way that was honestly horrible. Just because red was one of their colors did _not_ mean that it had to be _this_ integrated everywhere. He had never missed the Slytherin common room this much until seeing this traumatizing mess. If he ever saw red again, it would be too soon.

            Harry squeezed Draco’s hand as they made their way to the fireplace. He wanted to reassure his husband that everything would be alright but he wasn’t too sure that it would be. He didn’t think that any physical harm could befall either of them but he wasn’t sure about anything past that.

            As uncomfortable as the silence had been, it was entirely preferable to the loud chaos that erupted suddenly.

“What is _he_ doing here?” Ron shouted from the center of the Gryffindors.

“Malfoy isn’t allowed in Gryffindor tower!”

“Slytherins aren’t welcome!”

“What’s going on, Harry?”

           Shouts from every angle reverberated off the walls causing Draco to nearly stagger at the volume. Good lord, was this normal? Was this how Gryffindors handled things? There was absolutely no order. _None_. He had known that going in but to _see_ it, was completely different. How did their house ever get anything done? This was horrid and unfathomable. He had never been more thankful for being placed into Slytherin than he was right now.

            The shouts from every member of the house was too much. Draco was positive that at least one of his eardrums had been ruptured. What the hell was wrong with all of them? Hadn’t anyone ever told them that yelling accomplished nothing? _Slytherin Rule #31:_ _Powerful whispers accomplish more than needless roars. -Calm waters hide predators while noisy intruders scatter the prey._ Yelling and shouting only proved that passion was a weapon that could be used against them. It was almost disgusting to see so many people succumb to such a weakness.

            The volume of shouts had Harry’s head jerking back in surprise. The Gryffindor house had always been rather loud. People like to celebrate and be joyous, which for some reason, their house expressed this by being excessively loud. Even in the Great Hall, the ones making the most noise was his own house. Harry had never stopped to appreciate silence until he was now without it. There were more Gryffindors then he thought there would be. It was definitely double the amount of Slytherins that had returned. He noticed that Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were in the middle of the crowd, giving him a look that he couldn't quite read.

            Talking over this was useless. One would have to yell louder than the previous if they even hoped to be heard. Which wasn’t something Harry was going to do. He would wait it out. They would tire themselves out eventually. He turned his head towards Draco, dismissing them completely.

            “I miss the Slytherin common room already.” Harry kept his voice at a normal level but with all of the yells, it might as well have been a whisper.

            Draco chuckled as he turned to see Harry’s face better. Despite the horrid situation, distasteful people and gaudy décor, just looking at his lover had his tension easing. He would never be able to get over how much he loved this man.

            “I miss home instead.” Draco retorted with a slight shrug. The Slytherin common room was nice and even nostalgic but nothing could compare to the home they have made for themselves. Grimmauld Place may be old and decaying in some places but it was theirs. It was where they grew closer together, where their bond had been explored and strengthened.

            Harry hummed in thought. Home. After traveling all over the world, sleeping in one hotel after the next, it would be nice to sleep in his own bed. It would be nice just being somewhere that was just for the two of them. Hogwarts had always been home to him, a place where he could be who he was outside of the Dursleys. But Hogwarts was just an experience. It wasn’t a final destination, just something to enjoy while he had it and then to move on and take those lessons with him. His home was Draco, he didn’t need a single place in mind, as long as he had Draco, his home would always be there.

            “Yes.” Harry agreed before he captured Draco’s lips in a sweet kiss. It was barely past chaste but not long enough to be considered lingering.

            Draco had to marvel at the strategic maneuver. He didn’t doubt that Harry had wanted to kiss him but he could tell by the satisfaction in the bond that his soulmate had meant to silence the Gryffindor house with actions and not words. He was just grateful that Severus didn’t implore this tactic with his own house. That would be something he wouldn’t want to see.

            When Harry pulled away, he couldn’t resist pecking those lips one last time. He looked over to the rest of the room and snorted at the gobsmacked looks on their faces. They had to have seen the papers, there was no way that they could be this surprised by their relationship. Unless they hadn’t believed it.

            “Now that the unnecessary noise is gone.” Harry began with a shake of his head. “Can we talk like civilized people? Because I’ve got to tell you how rude it is to walk in and not be able to pin point a single thing because your shouts were so loud.”

            They were both pleased to see a few red faces and sheepish expressions. At least some of them realized how they had acted.

            “Why have you asked to see all of us?” Someone shouted in the back. Harry couldn’t tell who it had been but it didn’t matter.

            “I have come to reinforce the things that were said in the Great Hall. The things being done to the Slytherins will _end_.” His voice had lowered and hit a dangerous edge to it.

            “I do _not_ care what grievances you may have had with them in the past. I don’t care who bullied who when you were eleven. I don’t care who said what about shotty spell-work or even if they insulted your parents. Whatever petty problems you have are _over_.”

            Several offended scoffs could be heard but Harry held up his hand forestalling any interruptions.

            “None of that matters right now. None of that is important. What _is_ important is how to treat another human being. You think because they were bullies that it gives you a blanket excuse to do whatever you want? Hypocrisy at its finest.” He shook his head angrily.

            “If it isn’t because they used to be bullies then is it the war? Because only idiotic imbeciles would blame a house of innocent people. Only moronic dolts would victimize people who weren’t at fault. I could spend all day coming up with insults and it would never be enough. I could rant and explode with the best of them but I won’t. I don’t even care if what I have to say sticks with you. I don’t give two shits about your opinion or what you have to say. I am here not to debate with you or to hear your side of the story. I am here to _tell_ you that it is completely done with. I will _not_ tolerate a single thing that has been happening here. I will not hesitate to put you in your place nor will I even humor your beliefs.”

            Draco would have let out a whistle if they were somewhere else. Merlin, his lover was firm in his resolve and it was erotic to see the passion he held. The righteous anger was something he would never get tired of seeing. The difference between Harry and the other Gryffindors was that Harry was taking his anger and manifesting it in a useful way. He was taking the rage and channeling in a progressive manner. While the rest of the people had just uselessly yelled and griped with no thought behind the shouts.

            “Gryffindor house was founded on the characteristics of those who are Brave, Chivalrous, Daring, Courageous and have Nerve.” He noticed out of the corner of his eyes that Hermione, Ron and Ginny had moved up closer.

            “Tell me.” He began in a faux curious tone. “Since when did Gryffindors replace their courage with cowardice?” Harry spat out.

            “When do they see injustice and do _nothing_? When do they forsake their morals to _join_ in on said injustice? Since when do they throw away their nerve to allow their own self-importance to rise up?” No one said a word, not that Harry expected them to.

            “Do you think because most of you were proactively fighting on the light side of the war that it makes you somehow better than them? They weren’t fighting at all. Not choosing to fight doesn’t make them automatically guilty or wrong. Having family members that _did_ fight against us does not mean they are to blame.” Harry hated that this had to be said, hated that they couldn’t honestly understand their actions.

            “Anger is a weakness. One that has previously and recently gotten the better of me.” Harry admitted as he thought back to the darkness and even the anger after the war, the one he always assumed was Voldemort’s. “It is vile, seductive and easy.” He cocked his head to the side as he tried to figure out how to say what he meant.

            “It is easy to allow your emotions to get the better of you. Easy to ignore your inner intelligence warning you of the negative impacts that anger can bring. When you give up and allow your anger or even revenge to consume you, then you have lost all the better parts of yourself. You have lost the battle, one that shouldn’t have been there to begin with.”

            Draco rested his chin on Harry’s shoulder, offering him silent support.

            “Don’t you think I was angry? Don’t you think I wanted revenge? Don’t you think that I wanted someone to be held accountable? I didn’t just fight in the final battle like you did. I _lived_ it. My whole bloody life I was always a target for Voldemort. I was always his end game. I was the one having to bear the brunt of his wrath and his fixation. When he planned things, who was it he aimed for? Even during the battle, who was his target? He released orders to mow down anyone who wasn’t me. It wasn’t you guys he wanted, nor were you the reason he was there to begin with. As conceited as this may sound, _I_ was his final destination. _I_ was the one who was supposed to bring him down. _I_ was the one who had to end him. _I_ was the one who had been thrusted into that path.” He took a big breath.

            “I am not minimalizing the things you have done or the strength it took to fight in a war. Choosing to take a stand _was_ brave. It was amazing to see so many people come together to do what is right, to unite against a horrible evil. I admire every single person who had the courage to fight.” He pressed, not wanting them to think he didn’t appreciate everything that they had done.

            “It kills me that he will never see the devastation that his cause brought. I hate it. I hate him. I hate everything that he caused and I hate that there are still ramifications from his actions. I hate that you all had to fight in a war. I hate that there was even a war. I hate that people lost their lives. I hate that their dreams and wishes will never be fulfilled. I hate that their loved ones will never be the same again. I hate the pain and grief that will always remain. I hate it all.” He closed his eyes for a moment as he tried to not go off in tangent. Harry wanted to stay on topic.

            “It angers me that he just got to die while we are the ones left to pick up the pieces. How do you build a successful society in the aftermath of so much loss and destruction? How do you continue on with life? The problem is that no one did anything after the war. No plans to change things, no measures in place to ensure that something like this couldn’t happen again. Everyone tried to pretend that they could go back to the way things used to be. But you can’t. You can’t face the loss with false pretenses. There is no going back to before. There is only acceptance and the new changes that will happen when you learn to move on.”

            Draco was pleased to see that there were several people who seemed to be taking in what Harry had to say.

            “It is easy to _say_ that anger shouldn’t get the best of you but when faced with actually letting it go, it can be hard. Believe me, I know the feeling. But the reality of what that anger has twisted you all into should be a wakeup call. Because honestly, I have never been more disgusted at being a Gryffindor in all the years I have been here.” He paused to glare at them all, hoping that they would just _understand_.

            “When you can’t walk a few feet out of your common room without fear of being attacked, you know there is a fucking problem.” Harry spat out.

            “What could _possibly_ have gotten into your minds to think that that was acceptable? When have the Slytherins _ever_ done something like that to us? There is a big difference in a bully an attacker. When hexes are replaced with vicious and brutal attacks, there is no coming back from that. I can’t stand the thought of my own house being responsible for this.”

            “Other houses participated as well.” A girl a few years younger than Harry spoke up petulantly.

            Draco scoffed but remained silent. What a load of hogwash.

            “You got something to say Malfoy?” Seamus spoke up with narrowed eyes. “Don’t hide it, tell us your _brilliant_ opinions.”

            Harry looked to Draco as he pushed confidence in the bond. He wasn’t sure that his housemates would really listen to anything his lover had to say but it was still nice to give them a full picture of things.

            “You say that as some kind of justification. Just because other people are harming them, doesn’t make it okay to do the same. I will not lie to you nor will I pretend that my house has always been innocent.” A few derisive snorts were heard but Draco ignored this.

            “Most of the Slytherin house aren’t bullies. Most of them mind their own business in a biased school with teachers predisposed to dislike us. I was a bully and I won’t deny that. Personally, I have only insulted a handful of you in here. That is _my_ mistakes and something _I_ have to deal with. Blaming the whole house for what the minority do is not right, nor is it okay. Using the excuse of the other houses doing it, so therefore it must be okay, is honestly the most immature and pathetic thing I have ever heard.”

            The insult started another round of shouting and yelling.

            Harry looked next to him and picked up a discarded chess board that had scattered pieces on it. He tossed it all into the air before using his magic to explode it outward. Screams could be heard as everyone ducked out of the way of the broken pieces flying through the air.

            “Why do you insist on talking all at once? What will that even accomplish? Is shouting so loudly that nothing you say is even coherent some kind of tactic? Because if so, it isn't working. Do you even realize how ridiculous you all look?” Asked Harry with furrowed brows. He really did want to know, for the safety of his poor ears. He noticed the hurt looks and almost wanted to snort.

            “Draco wasn’t wrong. If you are only doing something because other people are, then where is your originality? Where is what separates you from the rest? Ignoring this for a moment, where is your morality if you cannot only just bully someone but attack them so viciously that they have to travel in packs? Where is the justification? What can you honestly say is the reason for that? I hope it sure isn’t because ‘others are doing it’. Because honestly that really _is_ pathetic.”

            Harry raised a hand as he gestured to all of them.

            “I just am disappointed in all of you. If it was the Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw house that was being _attacked_ then I _know_ that many of you would rise to the occasion and do what is right. I know that you would rally together and ensure that something this horrific didn’t continue to happen. Just because someone you don’t like is the one being harmed, doesn’t mean that it is deserved or even warranted. Coming from people who have been on the receiving end of injustice, does it make you feel bigger to have taken it past the point of no return? Do you feel vindicated to harm others? Do you think this makes you anything but a bloody monster?”

            “Monster?” Someone spoke up from behind several people. “Funny you say that when you are married to the true monster.”

            The insult didn’t faze Draco, not after defending himself in the Great Hall. He was more annoyed than anything.

            “Funny you say that while hidden in a crowd.” Draco retorted easily, trying to figure out who had said that. The voice wasn’t too familiar but he was sure he had heard it somewhere. “Cowardice to allow the numbers to hide you.”

            An outraged noise could be heard before people were being shoved aside as a boy pushed through.

            The name of the guy eluded Draco. He was sure the boy was at least one to two years younger. Something about his appearance was striking a memory.

            “Wait.” Draco began as he tilted his head to the side. “Aren’t you the one who knocked yourself unconscious with your own bat during a Quidditch match?”

            Harry snorted, he couldn’t help himself. The dark glare that had been directed at Draco from Jack Sloper was now being sent at him as well.

            “That is irrelevant.” The boy spat out. “Jack Sloper is my name.” It was said as if Draco should have known or cared about this.

            “Never met you.” Draco retorted with a shrug. “Never even talked to you let alone bully you. So whatever problem you have with me must be superficial.”

            “Superficial.” Sloper whispered in disbelief. “My mother was an Auror. She died trying to get deatheater scum like you locked away in Azkaban when they fled after the war.”

            Draco furrowed his brows. “That is admirable but her death is not to be blamed on me. I sure didn't kill her.” He pointed out with a shake of his head. What was with everyone trying to blame him for something _other_ people did?

            “You may not have fled in the literal sense of the word but you fled justice. You _are_ a monster. One who never got the punishment they deserved. Just like the rest of the Slytherins. No one stood up for us when they were bullying us. No one came to our defense before, but now all of a sudden it isn’t okay when the tables are turned. Hypocrisy was mentioned but you can’t dish it out if you are guilty yourselves.”

            Draco scoffed. “Oh, really?” He narrowed his eyes. “You think petty taunts and mild jinxes can even compare to the curses being thrown around? You think it is okay to seek revenge in this manner? You are of age, everything you do holds a finality to it. You aren’t some twelve-year-old airing out frustrations. You are an adult breaking the law, which holds consequences. There is a difference in what is happening now and the things of the past.” The thought process of the stupid would always have him questioning things. He prayed this boy never reproduce for the fear of the next generation following in his steps.

            “In the end, it doesn’t matter what you think or your opinions on things. Because if you break the law, then you will be held accountable. You are going to be tried in court, just as I was, and the decisions the Wizengamot come to will decide your fate. Not me and not Harry. The law will be who you answer to. So by all means, continue as you have been. Do what you please. But when you are sitting in Azkaban, I want to know if it will be worth it. Is your anger and revenge worth the consequences?”

            When Sloper pulled out his wand, everyone but Harry and Draco took a step back. Several gasps could be heard.

            “You think that this is wise?” Draco asked as he stood there, unmoving and not in the least bit afraid. “You think that you will be able to get off a few rounds in front of all these witnesses and get away with it? I wasn’t taking the mickey out of any of you when I said that we _will_ take you to court.” He paused when the boy held up his wand. “Try me.”

            “I don’t need to do things unfairly to win.” Sloper seemed upset at the implication. “I challenge you to a duel.”

            Low whistles were released as all eyes were glued between Jack and Draco.

            Draco hummed in surprise. It had been a long while since he was a participant in a duel, or rather a formal duel.

            “Alright.” He conceded, still not moving. “I just think you should realize that I used to participate in dueling competitions but if you want to continue then it is fine by me.”

            A flicker of hesitation was seen before a firm resolve took over Sloper’s face.

            “Really?” Harry asked curiously, looking towards his lover. “How did I not know this?”

            “It was something my mother insisted on. A Black family tradition was the bragging rights of being a Master Dueler. I never had the inclination as the rest of her side of the family as a dueler but I did win my fair share of competitions. Master Dueler I am not.” He admitted truthfully. Duels were always boring for him. He liked to duel but didn’t necessarily like prearranged duels. It would have been nice if it was spur of the moment and not planned ahead of time. Being a Master Dueler was just a title that didn’t really apply to anything during a _real_ duel.

            “Huh.” Harry was impressed and definitely intrigued. “Sirius never mentioned anything of the sort to me.” Although, his time with his godfather had always been shadowed with everything going on with Voldemort.

            “That’s because he was bitter.” Draco said with a smirk. “When he was still in school, he was pitted against his brother for who would be the one to lead their family in the bid for Master Dueler. He _barely_ beat Regulus but when his mother disowned him, his title was denied and his brother took the spot and opportunity. I imagine he doesn’t bring it up because he feels as if he was robbed.”

            “I am so going to ask his portrait about this.” Harry mused as he thought it over. His godfather had always been jumpy for a fight but he wondered if it was because he had an inclination for duels. He wondered if Sirius had ever had the chance to become a Master Dueler before his imprisonment despite his family.

            Draco was looking forward to seeing Sirius’s reaction. His mother had said that Sirius’s only vocal regret about being disowned was that he never got the title he deserved. Even his father had mentioned that the man could duel. Unfortunately for Sirius, Bellatrix had been the Master Dueler for his mother’s side of the Black family.

            “Enough talking.” Sloper interrupted them rather rudely. “I don’t care if you are a Master Dueler yourself. I will win.”

            Mmm. Draco seriously doubted this but he would humor the guy. “Who is your second?” He questioned.

            “Who wants a shot at defeating Malfoy?” Sloper asked the room at large.

            Harry hummed in thought. So, the guy didn’t have a solid plan before speaking up. That didn’t bode well for his skills.

            Whispers broke out amongst the room. Some wanting to attempt but not wanting the attention while others remained silent.

            “I will.”

            Draco wasn’t surprised to see Patil. He had known that she would want a shot at him at some point. Especially as he had threatened her in the Great Hall. He found it to be a little ungrateful of her to want to duel him after he announced that he wouldn’t be pressing charges. Some Gryffindor she is.

            “Harry is my second.”

            The way their eyes widened comically had Draco snorting. “Did you honestly think that I wouldn’t pick my husband?” Sometimes he wondered if stupidity was a Gryffindor trait as well.

            Harry raised his brows when _a lot_ of people looked at him in disbelief. “What? You think I won’t do it because you are members of my house? Get real. Why should I care what house you are in when you are wrong in the situation? As if I would choose a house over morals. I won’t blindly follow you just because we are Gryffindors.”

            “Still feeling up to the duel?” Draco taunted when both Sloper and Patil were staring at each other nervously. The taunt had their eyes narrowing angrily, something that had him smirking. A duel right now wasn't the smartes idea, it went against the peace motto they were trying to establish. Not only did it just look bad but Draco didn’t care. He had so much extra energy inside him and so much anger that was itching to come out. Besides, sometimes people wouldn’t get the message unless things were right in front of their faces.

            “You think you are _so_ much better than us. Merlin you are cocky.” Patil said as she shook her head angrily.

            Draco tilted his head back and forth as he thought it over. “I like to think of it as endearing, really.”

            Harry looked to the ceiling as his mouth twitched. Even in the face of insults and approaching duels, his husband still had a mouth on him.

            “What are the limits? Nothing physical, wands and wandless magic only.” There were a few raised brows at Draco’s addition of wandless magic, probably wondering why that was necessary.

            “Academic duel.” Sloper replied nonchalantly. “Nothing risky.”

            Harry furrowed his brows. It had him thinking back to his second year when they had done dueling. The spells were to only disarm the opponent. The guy’s attitude was not of someone who only wanted a safe environment duel.

            “No.” Draco argued as he let go of Harry’s hand to fold them across his chest. “I am neither stupid nor daft enough to buy into that.” He shook his head slowly.

            “If you think that I don’t know what you were planning then you have forgotten that I am a Slytherin. You want me to agree to an academic duel while you slowly add in spells and curses that aren’t academic, in the hopes that it will have surprised me, as if I would just blindly trust that you will have the Gryffindor honor you _should_ have.” He scoffed harshly. All indications of Gryffindors being honorable were shot to hell.

            “I would rather it be limitless. That way I _know_ the true stakes of the duel rather than be presented with unsavory tactics. You want a duel then it will be _not_ be academic. You want a duel then it will be _real_ one. One where you can’t use your cheap tricks and gimmicks aimed to fool others.”

            The flash of fear that sparked in Sloper’s eyes had Draco rolling his eyes. Figures the boy would have been a bloody coward. “So, I ask you again, are you still up to the duel?”

            There was a silence that settled around the room as everyone watched Sloper and Patil look at each other. It wasn’t an awkward silence but it wasn’t very welcoming either.

            “Of course.” Sloper tried to go for confident but Draco could see right through him. When one never plays fairly, they begin to think they _can_ follow the rules. Well, Draco was intrigued enough to allow the duel to go on. If Sloper lost, then maybe it would show everyone else that picking fights with him wouldn’t amount to much.

            “Limitless?” Draco asked, wanting to make sure it was explicitly clear of how this was going to go down.

            Harry furrowed his brows. Didn’t limitless mean that anything could go? Including fighting to the death? That seemed like overkill to him. He was liking the idea of just an academic duel but at the same time, he didn’t trust Jack at all. Not even remotely.

            “Limitless.” Both Patil and Sloper said at the same time, causing Draco to shrug.

            “You can’t just do a duel right in the common room!” Hermione half whispered half yelled. “This isn’t a big enough space. Not to mention someone could get hurt.”

            “Shut up.” Half the room and Draco uttered at the same time. Hermione scoffed before sitting on a nearby chair in defeat.

            “If anyone has any belongings in this room that they want to keep unharmed from stray spells, I would move them now.”

            “There _was_ a chessboard that my grandmother sent me that I would have liked to keep.” Neville piped up with a weak glare directed towards the shattered board at Harry’s feet.

            “ _Oh._ ” Harry whispered as he flushed in embarrassment. “Sorry Nev! I didn’t realize that it was yours.” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I’ll buy you a new one.”

            Neville snorted. He doubted Harry had been aware of much during his outburst. “It’s alright. I hated the thing anyways.” The pieces were predisposed to dislike him. They like to shout insults at his appearance and personality. Not that he was going to tell Harry that.

            “Arse.” Harry mumbled loud enough that Neville could hear him. “Here I was feeling sorry for you. See if I buy you anything now.”

            “Can we continue?” Sloper piped up. “What is this, social hour? We are about to duel.”

            “Shut up.” Half the room told him, including Neville, Harry and Draco.

            There was a scramble as everyone began pulling books off shelves and moving the desks out of the way. Neville pointedly pushed a few of the older chairs that were lumpy and uncomfortable in the way, hoping they would get destroyed in the process. No one seemed to notice him, which suited him just fine. On his way back to where the rest of the house was, he noticed one of Hermione’s books had fallen during the bid to get them all moved. He looked around to make sure she was distracted before he kicked it right in the middle of the area that the duel was to take place. Sometimes, he liked to be petty.

            When Draco and Sloper were on opposites sides of the room, Neville cleared his throat. “Usually, this is the time for last minute preparations or tactics. Where the second talks to their partner. Are there any last words?” He wasn’t a Master Dueler either but he liked to watch duels for sport. He preferred that over Quidditch any day. Not that he was going to mention that.

            Patil was standing several feet away from Sloper, where she would be out of the way but close enough to intervene should there be a death. Draco didn’t agree with her positioning but he wasn’t going to say anything. The trajectory of stray spells would put her at a higher risk than for other people.

            “Good luck.” Was all Harry heard Parvati say. Not very helpful or encouraging. She hadn’t even said it warmly.

            Draco turned to Harry, who hadn’t moved yet. “You going to wish me luck?” He teased with a small smile.

            “No.” Harry shook his head. “You don’t need any luck.” He wrapped his arms around Draco’s waist and pulled him close before kissing the breath right out of him.

            Draco wrapped his arms around Harry’s neck and melted into the kiss eagerly. A few cat calls could be heard, where from? He wasn’t sure nor did he care. Not when Harry’s tongue was pressing at the seam of his lips.

            “Knock ‘em dead.” Harry whispered before stepping away.

            “Literally or figuratively?” Draco questioned as he gestured for Harry to stay with the onlookers instead of where Patil had lined up.

            Harry let out a laugh as he made his way towards Neville. “I haven’t decided yet.” He teased. “Surprise me.”

            Draco laughed warmly before shaking his head and steeling his resolve. He looked back towards Sloper before he nodded once, letting him know he was ready.

            As Draco made his way towards the center, Neville looked to Harry. “Nervous?” He wondered.

            “Not even a little.” Harry replied honestly. He knew Draco was _very_ capable at taking care of himself.

            When Sloper didn’t move, Draco huffed. Figures the idiot wouldn’t even have proper dueling etiquette.

            “This is where you meet Draco in the middle.” Neville told him with a look that clearly said it shouldn’t have been necessary to voice. He sighed heavily when the boy finally did make it but didn’t bow. “Why ask for a duel if you don’t even know the rules?” Neville mumbled under his breath. The snort Harry released had him grinning despite his irritation.

            “Now, you bow.” Neville didn’t even bother to hide his impatience. He was cringing on the inside at all the mistakes. Jack was lucky this wasn’t a performance duel. Or the marks would be _low_.

            Draco wanted to point out that the bow wasn’t done with the right mannerisms but decided to let it go. If they didn’t get this going soon, they would be here all night. Which was _not_ something he wanted to do. Not even a little bit. He ignored the slight in etiquette and went back to his original position.

            “Begin at the same time.” Neville spoke for Jack’s benefit, since he wasn’t even sure if the other boy knew what he was doing.

            Before Draco could gesture for them to finally begin, Sloper slashed his wand and pointed it right at him. The last thought Draco had before the spell made it towards him was that it didn’t even surprise him that the Gryffindor had thrown away all forms of etiquette. Although, he supposed he had done the same to Harry when they were in their second year. Karma.

            Draco stepped to the side, causing the spell to hit the wall behind him. He looked the best he could without tearing his gaze away from his opponent. His brows arched when he realized it was a cutting curse.

             Deadly.

            Well, this would be an experience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think my end notes will be very much this time around. Still kind of in a bad mood. Hopefully you guys can cheer me up. If not, I'll go watch cat videos on YouTube or something. 
> 
> Okay, I do realize that a lot of what Harry was saying, is similar to the things that Draco had said in the Great Hall. But most of them are thick headed and needed more. 
> 
> Have to be honest, the one who said that it was okay because other people were doing it, had me flashing back to when I was a child and my mother gave me the whole, 'if your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it?' speech. Then I realized that I was basically parenting in this chapter and I am not sure how I feel about that. :P
> 
> Draco will never be able to stop being snarky. Even in a room full of people who hate him. Can I just say that I love him. I have always been a Harry lover but I have possibly passed that on moved onto the Draco train. 
> 
> Neville was a tad snarky and I love it. Didn't even realize that I needed that in my life. I think to deal with Luna, you would have to have some kind of sarcasm or snark. 
> 
> Is it practical to have a duel in the common room? No. Could someone get hurt? Yes. Was Hermione right? Yes. But this is where we tell her and myself to shut up. -Side note: I have never actually told myself to shut up before. This is new. 
> 
> So, Duel Master. That was something I never brought up before but I like it. I can also picture a very pouting Sirius over the loss of the title. Neville being a secret Dueling fan while he pretends to like Quidditch with everyone else just makes me smile. 
> 
> Also, the casual way Draco was just like, want to warn you that I was in competitions also makes me smile. That was something I debated about him keeping it to himself but I liked him just throwing it out there. 
> 
> I think that's it, really. I feel like I made a mistake somewhere, not necessarily grammar but something else. I'm too tired to figure it out. I will probably figure it out when I wake up and reread this chapter. 
> 
> Okay, let me know what you think. 
> 
> -XxTheDarkLordxX


	7. Importance of Patience, Friends and an Understanding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate it when I intend for a short chapter and then write way more. You guys probably don't mind but my ass does. ;P
> 
> This chapter is a whirlwind of emotions. I am going to take you to many places and not all of them will be good. You may get a little teary eyed for a moment and want to kill me. Don't actually kill me. *Hides as well as Azad did behind the small rock*
> 
> Enjoy!

            There is a lot that can be said about impatience. When one allows their mind to be overcome with hasty emotions instead of allowing thought to be the predominate action, then that allows an opponent to have the upper hand. Impatience shows that one is quickly irritated, easily provoked and can give way to restlessness. Those are glaring weaknesses that an enemy can use to their advantage.

            Patience may not be the most idealistic forms of strategy on the surface. The urge to hurry or to quickly end a duel is at the forefront of one’s mind. However, being patient is a skill, especially when dealing with those who have none. It allows thought process to work as it should without letting in other emotions. When one is impatient, the mind tends to go too quickly, without thinking things all the way through. Which allows mistakes or bad ideas to be implemented.

            The way one attacks and uses their body is the first observation of any good dueler. If one is willing to sacrifice their form or stance for a spell—whether thoughtless or planned out—shows how the duel will go. Gives an almost prediction to who will win and who will lose.

            Plan of action doesn’t have to involve active movement. The best tactics are ones where the opponent traps themselves. Where they have let their misconceptions or perceived ideas grant them a false sense of security, where they don’t allow themselves the opportunity to see if they are wrong. Their false victory will be the only thing their mind can think of, allowing the seed of traps to sink in. Showcasing exactly where their enemy needs to strike. They have lost the duel themselves with little to no effort made by their opponent.

            A mark of a good dueler or even strategist is knowing an opponent’s weaknesses. One of the better ways of doing this is to watch, observe and _learn_.

            To everyone watching, it would appear as if Draco was doing nothing. It would look as if he was just dodging or caught in a corner but that was not the case. He was allowing himself the chance to see Sloper in action. He was gaining a feel for his opponent’s movements and calculating the easily spotted weaknesses.

            Sloper was sloppy, held no true dueling stance, used whatever spell that he could without thinking it through and didn’t pay attention to his own magic. The more Draco watched, the more he realized that this was a poorly matched fight. He was _several_ years ahead of the boy in dueling tactics. Not necessarily in spells but he knew how to use them unlike Sloper.

            There was an almost frenzy aura to the boy. One that led Draco to believe that Sloper had been _itching_ for a good fight. Let him know that this duel wasn’t personal, it was just about fighting in general. When one fights only for the sake of fighting, there isn’t enough motive to win. There isn’t a connection or a means of importance.

            Spell after spell was casted and each one held malice and a means to not only incapacitate but possibly maim Draco. The violence to the curses and hexes wasn’t as surprising as it should be. It might have surprised him _before_ the duel had begun but the longer he watched Sloper, the more he began to understand his opponent enough to anticipate just what might be coming next.

            As violent as the spells may be, they did not hold a single ounce of significance. There was no order to them, no sign of intelligent thought process and absolutely no show of strategy. Sloper was just flinging out anything and everything, hoping to make contact.

            The longer Draco watched him the more he began to pity the Gryffindor. It was obvious that Sloper had succumbed to depression in his waking life. The boy was unstable in the way he fought, showing there was an unbalance to his every day routine. If something didn’t change, Sloper would explode and in the worst way possible. This was someone who would do dangerous things just to escape their mind and emotions. This just showed that Sloper was angry and had no true outlet. So he fought others, trying to regain himself but only managed to lose who he was in the process.

            Emotions don’t belong in a duel. They do nothing but be a distraction. Magic responds to your feelings, which is why children preform accidental magic to begin with. If the person dueling doesn’t have a calm center in their core, then their magic and the spells themselves will be chaotic and can even backfire. Watching Sloper become more frustrated by the minute, worried Draco. The boy was a ticking spell just waiting to combust.

            “Why are you doing _nothing_?” Sloper yelled when Draco sidestepped a bone blasting curse, causing the spell to hit a book that hadn’t been moved out of the way.

             Neville had to quash a smirk from forming when he heard Hermione’s moan of despair at the sight of her book being blasted apart.

            “Too afraid to do anything?” The boy taunted when Draco only arched a brow. “Too afraid to show me what a deatheater can do?”

            “Is Malfoy choking?” A first year that Harry didn’t recognize asked him. “He isn’t moving.” There wasn’t glee or worry in there, just plain curiosity.

            “No.” Harry and Neville spoke as one. Harry eyed his friend with a considering look at the knowing tone.

            Neville grinned as he shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve seen a lot of duels over the years.” He gestured towards the current one. “Even witnessed a few of his. Draco was always a top competitor. Nicknames come with the trade, his was always the ‘Immobile Statue’. He watches people and discovers _how_ to beat them. I wouldn’t know just what it is he sees because we weren’t on friendly terms. So, I can only speculate.” He turned to look back at the duel.

            “But what I can say, is that he never lost a duel in competition.”

            Harry was mildly jealous that he had never seen Draco in a duel like this before. Even if they weren’t together, it would have been interesting seeing the blonde in action.

            “Do a lot of people duel like that?” Harry wondered as he watched Draco dodge a string of fire. “Where they just watch for a while?”

            “No.” Neville shook his head. “That isn’t usually the case. Sometimes, people won’t move at the beginning and just observe their opponent but never like this. This is something that I have only ever seen Draco do.” There had been a few people who had tried to do it Draco’s way but it proved to be a flaw because they were just sitting ducks to their opponent.

            “Probably because it is strange.” They both looked over and noticed Dean and Seamus approach them. Seamus was a little wary about it but Dean seemed calm and curious. “Perhaps it is just the muggleborn in me, but I have never seen inaction like that in a duel.”

            Harry looked back to his lover and smiled softly. “He may appear to be in inaction but that isn’t the case.” He argued lightly. “He’s thinking and calculating every action, choosing a plan and probably already emitting it.”

            “How do you know?” Seamus questioned. Harry was just glad to see that his friend had lost the argumentative attitude that he had earlier. Seamus was always one to allow his emotions to get the better of him and tends to believe others before seeing the true facts for himself. He had done it in their fifth year and it would seem now as well. Harry just hoped that his friend would realize that there were better ways of doing things than with violence and anger.

            Neville looked to Harry curiously, wondering how he was going to explain. He knew that his friend couldn’t bring up the fact that he could feel Draco’s emotions or that they were soulmates. He found that he really wanted to know what Harry would say.

            Harry looked to his friends and grinned. “You see the way his eyes are roaming constantly but his body is barely moving past a tilt of the head or finger twitching?” He waited until they looked to Draco.

            “That is him concentrating. His interest is purely on his task but he is _thinking_. The way his eyebrows furrow slightly before mellowing suggests that he has decided on _something_.”

            Dean and Seamus blinked rapidly as they stared at Draco, as if they were having a hard time seeing the same things.

            “ _There_.” Harry whispered to them suddenly. “Did you see the smirk lifting at the corners of his lips?” He didn’t tear his eyes away from his soulmate to see if they nodded but continued as if they did. Their bond had been dimmed enough to allow Draco to concentrate fully, but Harry didn’t need the bond to understand his husband. Never did.

            “That shows that he is confident on his previous decision. His smirk may seem like something he does out of habit or just in general but that isn’t the case. It changes with each situation but it is something he does out of assurance in his own abilities. Even if he is insulting someone, he does it with the knowledge of what will hurt them. If it is during a lesson, then it is because he knows he will master the spell. If it is during an argument is because he knows he has the upper hand. If it is during a conversation, it tends to be after his poor attempt at humor.” Harry allowed a smile to pass as he thought of Draco’s awful jokes.

            “What if he was wrong? Confidence doesn’t always mean he will win or be right.” Seamus asked with his eyes still on Draco.

            “The mark of a good Slytherin is not getting involved in anything without already knowing the outcome. Risks and whims are for Gryffindors.” He cited Slytherin Rule #21.

            Harry noticed the confused but offended expressions on their faces and chuckled.

            “You can’t ever truly know how something will turn out but it all depends on the odds. If it looks like something he won’t win, then he doesn’t get involved. If it is something that he won’t be able to handle, then he doesn’t. Draco knows his limits just as much as he knows his abilities. He isn’t the type of person to just throw himself into a duel, hoping to win. If it was against someone that he might lose to, he wouldn’t do it. Unless he had no other choice or someone else had made the decision for him and it is out of his hands.” A shower of glass had him lifting his hand to block the shards from entering where the onlookers were. He noticed that Parvati had to scramble to get away and rolled his eyes. She shouldn’t be out there so close to the duel to begin with.

            “He used to go after you all the time, though.” Dean piped up with his eyes on the way Draco was still just blocking the spells instead of using a counterattack. “He wasn’t always in the right then.”

            Harry smiled at that. “Well, I have always been something else to him. The only one who bothered him enough, the only one who got under his skin. His actions sometimes went against his thoughts when it came to me.”

            “Something that went both ways.” Neville remarked with a hum of thought. He hadn’t ever really given that a thought before. No one had ever gotten under Harry’s skin quite like Draco could.

            “Exactly.” Harry shot his friend a grin before looking back to Seamus and Dean, who were now eyeing him in consideration.

            “You aren’t just with him, you _understand_ him.” Dean stated with a head tilt. As if he had never considered that.

            “I know Draco _way_ better than I know myself.” Harry admitted with another soft smile. “I know the way he thinks and I know what he will do. Sometimes, I can barely understand my own jumbled thoughts. But I will always know what Draco will do or even what he is thinking.” There was a slight disbelief in their eyes but that was alright, they didn’t have to believe him.

            “Again, something that goes both ways.” Neville told Harry in understanding. It was one thing to see their souls connect during the wedding but it was another thing to understand their relationship.

            “Yes.” Harry whispered as he looked back to Draco. “When I mentioned my jumbled thoughts that I sometimes can’t make sense of, he gets them. Draco knows what I am thinking and makes it better or just listens as I try to voice what he already knows. He understands me in ways that I sometimes can’t fathom. It is something that goes both ways. Where he might see faults in his behavior, I see nothing but positives. Where I might second guess myself, he only has confidence in my abilities.”

            “It doesn’t make sense.” Seamus pointed out with slight frustration to his tone.

            “The best things in life never do.” Harry offered as he shot his friend a look. He noticed that nearly all of the Gryffindors were looking at him and taking in what he said. He hadn’t meant to share so much with them. But he might as well use it to his advantage.

            “I know who Draco was and what he has done as much as you do.” Harry told Seamus and Dean with a shrug. “I was there for the fights, the spells, the hexes and the atrocious name calling. I was there for the frustration, anger and hate that his actions would bring. I would know this on some level _more_ than you will understand because I was his main target. He wasn’t a nice person and even employed less than exemplary tactics to get what he wanted. But he is _so_ much more than that.” Harry pressed as he put up another shield to stop the water Jack shot out from hitting them on a ricochet as it went everywhere.

            “Have you ever done something that you know you shouldn’t but can’t help but doing anyways? Something that doesn’t sit well inside of you but your decision is already made, so you just go with it? That was Draco’s old behavior. He _knew_ what he was doing was wrong but he did it anyways. Part of that is a byproduct of his raising and just poor decisions. But he wasn’t blind to his actions. There was a guilt inside them. Being with him doesn’t erase his bad behavior nor does it just make it all go away. He _knows_ that he has to make up for the things he has done and he will, if given the chance. He can’t atone for what has happened if never given the opportunity.”   

            A glass figurine shattered as Jack shot a bombarda towards Draco. Causing people to look back to the fight briefly.

            “If you only choose to look at his mistakes in life and not the rest, then you will only ever be blind to your own hatred. If you don’t allow someone to improve than you can’t blame them for not trying.” That was the whole point. Not just with Draco but the Slytherins as well.

            “Draco is more than what you see on the surface. He is _everything_ to me. I don’t want you to like him just because I love him. I wish you could see who he is and what he means to me. But I understand why you don’t. I get your trepidation and your hesitance. I see what you are seeing but the difference is I chose to look _past_ it.” Harry looked to Draco as he bit his lip, trying to figure out the best way to explain.

            “Draco came to _me_ to apologize. He chose to shove his pride to the side and talk. He didn’t do it with the intent to become my friend or even hoping for more than that. He just wanted to say his piece and then leave. He wanted to get his apology out there, so that he could move on with his life. Do you know how hard that was for him? Can you imagine just walking up to a previous enemy and baring a piece of yourself, not knowing how your actions will be perceived? The courage it took and the pride that had to be cast aside to come to me was staggering. Can you even picture what kind of strength that would take?”

            There were a few furrowed brows seen as he hoped they were really considering what he was saying.

            “He didn’t even know if I would listen to him or curse him. It was three days after the final battle. I had just defeated the darkest wizard of our time and here he was, a deatheater who had previously bullied me, coming to talk to me _alone_. That took guts and an admiring amount of determination. I will admit that I was too surprised to really deny him the chance. I kind of just sat there a little stunned and let him speak. It was the best decision I ever made.” He smiled widely at a few flabbergasted looks around the room.

            “Draco is more than what you see on the surface. He is one of the best people I have ever known. He brings out the absolute best in me. Things I didn’t think were possible. He loves me in ways that I never thought could exist. He cares about things deeply and empathizes with others. He has a strong moral code, one that hadn’t been previously explored before. He cares for injustice strongly because he knows what it is like to be the one taking it. He _knows_ the harshness of the world in ways that we don’t because he saw it being done firsthand. Being a deatheater by proxy and not with the original intent was a horrible experience for him. You see him and only see the dark mark. You think he _wanted_ to be a deatheater but that is the furthest thing from the truth. He was forced into it by circumstances that a lot of people might not understand. Draco saw things Voldemort did, horrible things that shouldn’t have happened let alone witnessed. Things that weren’t reported or made public. Voldemort was evil, pure evil and Draco was forced to house him. Forced to be around that on a daily basis.”

           There was a shift in Draco’s stance that had Harry pausing for a moment but it was just an anticipated movement as the blonde side stepped a spell before Jack had even fully casted it. He had to admire the way his lover knew what to do in an effortless manner.

            “The war was horrible and devastating. Which side you are on doesn’t dictate the horrors that were seen. Being a deatheater doesn’t mean that Draco came out of that unscathed. He has nightmares just as we do. There are things that will make him flashback to the bad times. He isn’t okay just because the Wizengamot cleared him. That mark doesn’t define who he is nor does it make his suffering less than yours or mine.” Harry pointed out.

            “There is a duality to everything in life. Dumbledore was a great wizard but he did a lot of questionable things. Voldemort was horrible but didn’t have to be. He was also a byproduct of things that shaped him. Gryffindors are brave and valiant but this year you all have been anything but. Slytherins were always perceived as evil but no one ever gave them the chance to be something else. No one ever looked at them and saw what they _could_ be. They only ever saw what they wanted to see.” A few scoffs could be heard, causing him to shake his head sadly.

            “When the whole world looks at you and only sees the horror you _might_ do and never allows you to be who you want to be, would you try? If as an eleven-year-old who was excited to be in Hogwarts, was sorted into a house where _everyone_ says is _only_ evil, and even the teachers look to when things go wrong, would you try to shatter those illusions? Three of the four houses are seen as normal while one is seen as wrong. If someone was placed in Hufflepuff, you guys wouldn’t care. You would get to know them the best you could. You might even give them a smile or a wave. But if that same eleven-year-old who had been placed in Slytherin were to see you, you wouldn’t offer them the same chance or opportunity. You wouldn’t get to know them solely on the belief of them being a Slytherin. Which is wrong. It is a reversed prejudice that still counts as prejudice. It is no better than the Slytherins who looked down on you. A hypocrisy that you never stopped to consider.”

            A frustrated noise drew Harry’s attention to Sloper as the boy let out a scream of anger. There was a satisfied smirk on Draco’s face that let Harry know that Draco knew exactly what he was doing.

            “I am not saying that the Slytherins had made any of it easy. Wanting to get to know people who haven’t been the nicest isn’t the easiest thing to do. But not _all_ of them were like that. It was just as Draco said, you can’t blame the majority for the way the minority behave. Look at Theodore Nott, Daphne Greengrass or Blaise Zabini. The three of them never followed the examples of some of their house. They didn’t buy into bullying or even make taunts. Did _any_ of you _ever_ consider approaching them? Or did you just chuck them into a pile of evil Slytherins and never gave thought to them? Those are just a small number of the ones that weren’t like the rest.” A few thoughtful noises could be heard, which was better than Harry had expected.

             “I am just as guilty as you are. I never stopped to think about any of the Slytherins or the possible injustices being done to them. I don’t know if it was ignorance or if I just blindly believed what I was told. The world was black and white for me for a long time. Good and evil. Light or dark. Gryffindor and Slytherin. I never stopped to question what was being told. I never even considered that there could be nice Slytherins or even honorable ones. God, I was so wrong.” He sighed at his own stupidity.

            “Wherever they go, people are always going to question their motives or why they are doing things. That isn’t fair. Just because of the house they were placed in. You can’t help being a Gryffindor any more than they can help being a Slytherin. Why does there have to be a divide in the first place? We aren’t just what the hat sorted us into. We are more than our houses. We are more than what divides us. People are complex and go into depths that can’t be labeled. The magic of the hat was built to only look at certain things and _try_ to limit us to one. But I refuse to just be one. I refuse to be carted into one label. I am _not_ just a Gryffindor. I will embody whatever the fuck I want. I will be who I want to, without the direction of my house. I will take pieces of all the houses and I will excel despite the divide.” Determination filled him at his own statement.

            “To have a balance in life, you have to be filled with more than one substance. I can’t survive by _only_ being brave. That will get me nowhere in life. I _have_ to embody multiple aspects to be able to survive. Do you think I escaped Voldemort all those times without taking on traits of other houses? I used the cunning of a Slytherin and the knowledge of a Ravenclaw to know what to do. I made sure to use the loyalty and dedication of a Hufflepuff to keep my own morality in check. A balance of multiple things is just human nature. Not everyone can be _only_ good. There is evil in everyone, the important thing is how you live with it and how you go about it.”

            “It’s the choices that define who we are and the redemption that can get you on a right path if the wrong choices are made. Life is about making mistakes and learning from them. No one is perfect and no one expects you to be. Right now, all of this seems _so_ important. But when you are forty and potentially have your own family, are you going to care what happened in school? Are you going to bitch and moan to anyone who listen that so and so called you names when you were fourteen? Or are you going to realize that not everyone will behave as you do. Not everyone has the same moral code and not everyone will live as you wish they would. There comes a time when you just have to let it go.” He wished this would be common sense. He wished that some lessons were easier to understand.

            “If you go around saying, ‘I wouldn’t do that, so why are they?’ Then you will _always_ be disappointed. Everyone is different and thinks differently. If we all thought the same way and acted the same, then things would be boring and lessons would never get learned. Never making a mistake loses the opportunity to grow. _Everyone_ at some point in their life has made a mistake, it is what you do afterwards that makes the difference. If you never give the Slytherins a chance to show you what they do _after_ their mistakes then how can you _ever_ expect to see them any differently?”

            The only sounds that could be heard was Jack’s panting and the spells that were being blasted around the room.

            “The mistakes of this year bypass the mistakes of previous years. The damage that has been done to the Slytherins was nothing more than cowardice revenge on people who didn’t deserve it. When you allow your emotions to override all thought process then you have lost yourselves in the process. In your bid to make the Slytherins pay for what _you_ perceived as justice, you moved past whatever they might have been and took it further. It is no longer about seeing them for who they are. Now it is about finding yourselves and _hoping_ that _they_ can look past this. I wouldn’t come near _any_ of you if I were them. I tend to be forgiving, sometimes when I shouldn’t but this wasn’t about giving as good as was given. This was blatant attacks and a violence that had _never_ been warranted. No one deserves the way they have been treated. No one.”

            With that being said, Harry decided to let it be for now and let them come to their own conclusions. There wasn’t much more he could say. They would either take what he had to say and implement it, or they were just going to continue as they have been. It was up to them now.

            Draco hummed curiously as he noticed an almost repetitive pattern to Sloper’s spells. Not giving yourself time to think of a plan leaves limited options. The boy was just using the same spells over and over without changing it up. That was a _giant_ weakness. One that was a rookie mistake. One that he would use to his advantage. Plans were slotting into place as he narrowed his eyes and took a step forward.

            Sloper startled violently when Draco moved. It was as if his movement had been unexpected. His inaction had shaken the boy more than Draco had thought it would. It was a tactic in of itself. There was a held breath as everyone waited to see what he would do but once again, Draco just stood still, doing what was the best tactic for him. _Waiting_.

            When Draco just gestured for Sloper to continue on, it angered the boy. Sloper clenched his free fist tightly before shooting out a succession of spells. Ones that Draco _knew_ he would use.

            “Harry!” Draco yelled out in warning, knowing that his husband would understand enough.

            “Back up.” Harry urged everyone up the stairs till they could look over the top of the banister. He set up _several_ shields and entwined them with a small portion of the bond. He watched Neville and Dean put up their own.

            Draco shot out his hand to still the fire that Sloper summoned, long enough that when the suffocation jinx came in contact with the fire it caused an explosive reaction, one that shook the room as things _exploded_.

            A last-ditch shield around the immediate area protected Draco, Sloper and Parvati. He hadn’t done this to harm them but more of a demonstration. A show of what mistakes could cause.

            A few screams could be heard as everyone backed away from the banister and crouched, hoping that the shields would hold up. Only when the smoke cleared and they could see down into the common room, did they relax.

            “He used chemistry.” Hermione whispered out in surprise and slight awe. Other muggleborns and a few half-bloods nodded in agreement but with a stunned aura to them.

            “How does that equal an explosion?” Ron whispered in confusion. “I didn’t even hear what the second spell was.”

            Neville let out a low whistle at the dismantled room. “We are in need of a decorator.” Everything not protected by the spells were burnt to ashes or still on fire.

            “Who’s going to pay for that?” Seamus wondered.

            “Either the school will or I can.” Harry piped up with a shrug. “The place needed a touchup anyways. Shite was falling apart.”

            “I’ll say.” Neville grumbled when he looked to the stupid lumpy chairs that had been protected by Draco’s shield charm. Just a smidgen to the left and they would have bene destroyed. Was it too much to ask for?

            “Spells have consequences.” Draco spoke up for the first time since the beginning of the duel. “Do you even realize the succession of unstable curses you were throwing out? I didn’t have to suspend the fire for that to happen. You could have caused that all on your own.” He shook his head as he watched the boy pick himself up from the floor where he had fallen to his knees.

            “The order of your spells is predictable and easily tiresome. Do you even realize how much of yourself you give away? I have learned _a lot_ from watching you.”

            “Please. Don’t use stupid head games on me.” Sloper snarled as he shot a bombarda at Draco, who easily side stepped it with a heavy sigh.

            “Did you know that you favor your left foot when moving?” Draco questioned as he watched Sloper try not to. “There is an almost imperceptible limp. My guess would be due to a bad spell either in the war or your childhood. One where potions weren’t given in a timely manner. Making it _almost_ back to normal.” The surprise on his face had Draco biting back a smirk.

            “You offset this by putting too much weight on the other one and leave too much focus on it. Making a weakness visible.” He pointed out as he blocked the predictable cutting curse.

            “You go for deadly spells when in all actuality a simple one would do much more damage. Simple spells slip through shields because people are counting on more forceful things to come at them. A simple sticking charm will bypass yours…” He trailed off as he shot out his hand and did just that, catching Sloper’s trainers and making them become immobile. Typically, it is seen as cowardice to use a shield in a duel but this was limitless.

            “You squint your eyes too much, not in a way that makes me think you need glasses but in a way that shows that you have been heightening your eyesight too much.” He tsked in mock disappointment. “That gives a dependency on the spell if done in high frequency. Which will damage the eyesight.” Which had been something he himself had to try hard not to do.

            Draco paused as he tilted his head to side and then slightly upwards as he determined just where he need to strike. “Which shows that you have a blind spot in your peripheral vision, right… there.” He sent out a stray piece of broken glass to Sloper’s left side, cutting into the skin right when the boy lifted his foot out of his useless trainers. Making it so that Sloper would have to use his right foot even more.

            “Bloody twat.” Sloper spit out as he tried healing his cut and balancing on his right foot at the same time.

            “Your language leaves much to be desired.” He dryly noted. “Same can be said about your dueling skills.”          

            The problem with an already high amount of impatience is how quickly it can bleed into a mounting pile of frustration, which then succeeds into rage. Rage in a duel will get one killed. The mind loses more and more thought process the longer someone allows rage to be dominant in the mind.

            Draco watched the anger invade Sloper’s face and prepared for the succession of spells that he already knew were coming. It was almost _too_ easy to manipulate the other boy. It wasn’t even fun. It was more of a bore than anything. He wanted a challenge. He wanted this to be worth all of the trouble. So far, the only thing that had even been worth it was the destruction of the gaudy décor.

            When the use of a changed crucio was thrown into the mix, Draco was surprised but vindicated, knowing the boy was lost to his emotions. Sloper was smart enough to realize that actually using an unforgivable would have sent him to Azkaban but dumb enough not to realize that tweaking it lost the potency of the spell. Rendering it useless.

            It only took a few seconds to calculate which ones Sloper had changed around to implement the new spell. Because yes, the boy still wasn’t mixing up his routine, even after being called out on it.

            “Your wand movement isn’t practical.” Draco remarked, just to anger him further. “Even a shorter gesture can accomplish the spell if there is enough power behind the words. But it won’t work as it should have. Your curses would hold more weight to them if you had stuck to the basics of wand movement.”

            “He isn’t wrong.” Hermione whispered to Ron, which carried outward. Causing Harry to raise his brows in surprise. “His spells are barely making the impact they should be.”

            “It shows that you like shortcuts rather than putting actual effort into things.” Draco continued with a frown. “While speed _is_ important, sacrificing your form to get there is the wrong move.” He dodged the spray of water that was once again, predictable.

            “It’s working so far, isn’t it?” Sloper retorted with a cocky attitude that didn’t match his overall demeanor.

            “Is it?” Draco wondered as he froze the water the boy was standing on, causing him to slip and fall on his arse.

           “The patience of waiting to see your opponent in battle and having the skill to retain that patience even while under attack, is something that more people should administer.” He set up a few silent and invisible barriers around the boy as he stood still, making it appear as if he was going to _allow_ Sloper the chance of getting up and continuing the fight.

            “Keeping a level head while under emotional duress is not only practical but common sense. Magic is volatile when not controlled. Easily swayed by emotions and can lash out unexpectedly if not prepared. If one cannot control their emotions, how can they expect to control magic that is unstable due to their imbalance that is already inside of them?” He watched the boy sit up and pant heavily.

            “You are easily susceptible to taunts or insults. Instead of realizing that it is only a tactic, you take it personal. Allowing me to disrupt the flow of your magic. Allowing me inside your head, making the already seed of doubt flourish into a real weakness. You allow your emotions to rule you instead of the other way around.”

            “Shut up.” Sloper snarled as he winced upon standing up, not having successfully healed his foot. “You think you are _so_ smart.” He sneered as he drew his wand and pointed it at Draco. “Just because you have fucked over the savior doesn’t mean I will follow. I am not weak willed enough to listen to the shite you spew.”

            Draco arched a brow as he fought the disgusting mental image that Sloper had brought forward.

            “My actions speak while your words fall flat.” Draco retorted calmly as he held out his palms in a gesture that clearly said, ‘show me what you can do’.

            “Your actions?” Sloper laughed a little manically. “You have barely done a damn thing. You have been a coward in your inactivity. I am the one showing all the spells. I am the one doing something. While you sit on the side and try to use head games to throw me off. Well, it won’t work!” The boy promised with a disturbed determination.

            “I only see you failing by your own mistakes.” Draco calmly told him as he folded his arms and giving an exaggerated yawn. When Sloper’s eyes widened, he knew he had succeeded in his plan.

            “I’ll show you!” That was all that was said before Sloper waved his wand.

            Everyone covered their eyes as a bright light surrounded the area. Another boom of explosion had their eyes snapping back to attention.

            “Is he dead?” Eloise asked with mild concern but more curiosity as everyone looked at the still form of Jack.

            “No.” Draco countered without looking up. “He would’ve been if I hadn’t set up preventive measures against it. His spells came in contact with a magical enhancer I placed up.”

            Hermione sucked in a breath, along with a few others.

            “His already out of control magic was made combustive when it came in contact with my barriers. If he had just calmly gone about the duel, the barriers would have allowed the spell to leave. But instead, it put a barricade up, not allowing any reactive magic to seep outward. It is a spell that is typically placed during the brewing of dangerous potions, exams, or even test stages of new spells. It is a precaution to prevent unstable energy from escaping. If I had _not_ placed them up, who is to say what would have happened.”

            Several people eyed Jack warily. The boy had placed everyone in the room in danger by not thinking clearly or having a plan when starting the duel. Leaving Draco Malfoy of all people to save them.

            “How did you protect him from the backlash?” Hermione wondered with narrowed eyes. Harry knew that it was less about a trust issue and more of her own inability to figure it out.

            “An offset.” Draco explained as he lowered the barriers and sent a stunner at the boy. The duel was over but he wouldn’t want to be here when the boy woke up and wanted a rematch.

            “I had to anticipate the level of unstable magic that would leak out and counter it with enough stable magic to keep the ratio in check. It’s a dangerous balance.” One that could’ve had disastrous effects if not done correctly.

            “But that was just a gamble.” Hermione spluttered. “You could have leveled the whole room if you had been wrong!”

            Draco sighed heavily as he tried to worm enough patience into his mind to deal with her. “I wasn’t wrong.” He pointed out. “I watched him, I knew what kind of spells he was using, which ones he wasn’t or even ones he _should_ have used. I anticipated each and every spell. I saw the way he maneuvered and could already feel the unstable energy. It was less of a gamble and more of an opportune moment to strike. Every single action he took told a story and allowed me to see things about him that he never intended to let slip. All I did was pay attention and have patience. So much can be gleamed if you just know the right places to look.”

            Harry was impressed, awed and definitely turned on by Draco’s abilities. When the bond reopened, he was slightly embarrassed at the humor he could detect, knowing he had been caught.

            “Save that for later.” Draco teased as he turned to Harry.

            Several confused faces could be seen swerving back and forth between Harry and Draco but neither one of them cared in the slightest.

            Draco furrowed his brows for a moment when he felt _something_ in the air. He stepped to the side and ducked in time to see a spell whoosh over his head. He rolled his eyes as he turned around.

            “As his second, you are to interfere if there is a death, not when he is out for the count.”

            Parvati shrugged as she shot more spells at him. “It was never established before the duel. Limitless remember?”

            Draco snorted. “How embarrassing. You are a pureblood for crying out loud.”

            A brief look of hesitation filled her eyes as she waited for him to continue, her wand still out.

             “It is _always_ established unless stated otherwise. Seconds aren’t there to step in when the first is just stunned. The duel ended the moment he became immobile. Unless you are starting a new one, which if that is the case, then you are breaking laws by not announcing it prior. If this is a lapse in judgment, I may let it go.” He paused when he saw the way she debated with herself.

            “Which is it?” Draco wondered curiously as he noticed that everyone up the stairs began trickling downward. “If you think that you can beat me, then by all means let me know and we can set up a duel for another day.” He had no problem with more duels, that wasn’t the issue. What did matter was if they were done correctly. Which her behavior was not.

            “It can be the same rules with a different venue.” He peered around the room a little curiously. The crumbling things and burned ashes were surprisingly more aesthetically pleasing than _before_. Draco rather liked to think he improved the atmosphere. The Gryffindors should really thank him. He wouldn’t even charge them.

            When she lowered her wand and stormed her way towards the stairs, shoving people to the side, he allowed a smirk to form on his lips. “That’s what I thought.” He whispered before he caught sight of Harry walking his way.

            Draco ran forward and jumped in Harry’s arms with a wide grin at the way he was quickly spun. He wrapped his legs around Harry’s waist and touched their foreheads together.

            “What did you think?” He asked despite knowing the answer.

            “Bloody brilliant.” Harry answered honestly. “I wish I could see you in other duels. You were amazing.”

            Draco allowed Harry’s pride to fill his possibly too high ego and just let his smile grow wider. “I love you.” He whispered.

            “I love you too.” Harry replied easily, capturing his husband’s lips in a searing kiss.

            Draco moaned before allowing Harry’s tongue entrance. If _this_ was his reward then he would be dueling a lot more. There was a lot of excess energy thrumming in his body, he hadn’t been able to get rid of it all during the duel. But this was a definite way to release the tension. When Harry groaned in response and the lust that had been in the background ignited, Draco had to hold back the urge to grind his body.

“Should we stop them?” Seamus whispered curiously.

“No way.” Several girls and Dean piped up.

“Dean!” Ginny whisper yelled, horrified.

“Two undeniably attractive guys making out will never be something I turn down to watch.” Dean whispered just as loudly.

“I didn’t know you liked guys too.” Neville spoke up curiously. How had he not known this?

“He better.” Seamus retorted with a nearly visible pout. “Otherwise the dick that had been in my arse last night has some explaining to do.”

_“Oh my god.”_

“That was a mental image I didn’t need!” Ron groaned out as he looked to Hermione hoping to see her agreement but frowned at her reluctant curiosity.

“Dean!” Ginny nearly yelled again.

“What?” Dean turned to her with arched brows. “Just because you are an ex does not mean you get to have a say in where my cock goes.”

_“Oh my god.”_

“You know.” Seamus began with a head tilt. “That makes two of your exes that went after guys after leaving you. Think there is some kind of theme going on? Are you scaring them off lady parts?”

            Draco broke their succession of kisses to throw his head back in laughter. Salazar, this right here improved his day drastically.

“Three.” Ron whispered. “I heard Corner had a thing with Smith towards the beginning of the year.”

“Ron!” Ginny and Hermione yelled at the same time.

“Sorry! I was just imputing what I heard!”

“He’s right, though.” Eloise whispered. “I saw them in the kitchen one time when I went for extra dessert.”

“Corner could do so much better than Smith.” Seamus remarked as he put his arm around Dean’s waist. “The pretentious prick was spouting on about how he had done the most in the war.”

            Draco’s head was moving back and forward as each Gryffindor just spoke up and added their own bits to the conversation. It was such a stark difference from his own house. But this time, instead of him disliking it, he found himself curious.

“Puh-lease.” Romilda rolled her eyes. “He nearly mowed down my younger brother during his bid to escape before the battle started.”

“Anyways.” Seamus interrupted. “That makes three of your exes that are now with guys. I got to tell you, this doesn’t look good for your potential dates.”

“Screw you.” Ginny narrowed her eyes angrily.

“That’s my job.” Dean retorted with a wide lecherous grin.

“Too much information, mate.” Ron argued as he looked a little ill.

            “Is it always like this?” Draco whispered curiously. “Do they just talk all the time.” 

            Harry shrugged the best he could as he held onto the blonde. “We are a talkative bunch.”

           “How long have you two been together?” Neville wondered as he looked between his friends, still lost as to how he had missed this. He would have to talk to Luna because she _never_ told him about it. She was always telling him about things that were irrelevant to his day to day life but couldn’t mention that his dormmates were together. He had even told her that they had been behaving differently, she had just smiled knowingly at him. As if he was just _supposed_ to know what she wasn’t saying. He wasn’t a mind reader.

            Seamus scrunched his face up in thought. “Before he had to go into hiding during the war.”

            “Why are we just finding out now?” Neville and Ron said in unison before they shot each other wary looks.

            Dean shrugged uncaring. “Gossip isn’t for us. It wasn’t like you _needed_ to know.”

“I did!” Several girls argued, causing Dean and Seamus to roll their eyes.

“How come you aren’t jealous that Dean was watching them kiss?” Romilda wondered in confusion towards Seamus.

“When you have a tight arse like mine, you don’t worry about your significant other wanting someone else.” He replied with a cheeky grin.

_“Oh my god.”_

            “I think we should make our escape.” Draco whispered, not low enough to escape attention as all eyes were on them. “I have an itching to feel your tight arse.”

_“Oh my god.”_

            Harry laughed loudly as he tightened his hold on Draco and walked to the entrance of the portrait. He paused before leaving.

            “If the message I tried to teach you all today, hasn’t stuck, then we will be having this discussion again.” He told them seriously.

            Draco took in Finnigan’s relaxed posture, which warred with the way it had been when he came in. He noted the calm faces and hesitant smiles on several people. Even the previously angry faces had lessened drastically. There were still wary and distrustful looks but there was also considering gleams to them as well. _Something_ had happened while he had been dueling and he didn’t have the faintest clue as to what it was.

            There was a chorus of ‘bye Harry’, from several people and a loud goodbye to Draco from Neville that had them both smiling.

            “Why do I feel as if I missed an important speech?” Draco asked as he placed his head on his husband’s shoulder and started kissing the skin before nibbling it lightly.

            “You did.” Harry told him as the fat lady closed behind them. “I was explaining things about you to Dean and Seamus and a lot of people listened in.”

            “Oh yeah?” Draco asked with a smile. “Were you filling their heads with all the wonderful things about me?” He teased.

            “Yes.” The serious tone had Draco’s head popping up.

            “You didn’t.” Draco laughed warmly. “You just gushed about me?”

            Harry shrugged. “In a way.” He admitted with a smile. “Mainly I just told the truth.”

            “I am disappointed that I missed it.”

            “I am disappointed you stopped kissing my neck.” The laugh Harry received had his own tension leaving his shoulders. The day had been quite stressful and he just wanted it to end.

            They had been worried they would run into teachers on their way out but luckily no one had stopped them or even came into their path. Once outside and past the apparation points, were they able to make their way home.

            “You are heavier than you look.” Harry grumbled when they landed in the kitchen. It was darker than it should have been but he chalked it up to Kreacher having not prepared enough for their return.

            “I swear if that is your way of telling me to lose weight, I will eat you. Don’t test me.”

            Harry snorted as he sent out his magic to light up the room. “I would _never_ tell you that you need to lose weight. You know that I love—” He gasped as he set Draco on his feet and covered his mouth in horror.

            There was blood covering _every_ surface of the room. From the walls to the floor, the counters and the table. It was a sickening sight. One that Harry would think was part of a horror story.

            “You don’t think that—is—” Draco blinked rapidly as he tried calling for Kreacher.

            It took three tries before his voice was able to work properly. “Kreacher.” Draco croaked out as he held on tight to Harry.

            When no *pop* came, Draco closed his eyes tightly as his lip trembled. _No._ It couldn’t be his blood.

            A flash of light had them covering their eyes for a moment as they both put up shields. When the light dimmed, a note appeared on the table.

 

_The Venadere thank you for your renewed interest in our organization. Continue to fight against us and a dead house elf is the least of your worries._

_Hopefully, you enjoy the present we left for your furry guests._

_-Die Temptatis_       

 

            Harry choked back a sob as he wondered just what had happened in the maybe hour since they last saw Kreacher. He held on to Draco and buried his face into a pale neck.

            “Die trying.” Draco whispered out the translation through tears. “The last bit was Latin.” As if that mattered. As if that was going to help any. As if that would bring Kreacher back. The elf was _family_. He was important to the both of them and cherished. Had he ever told Kreacher that? Had ever made it known how much they both cared for him? Regret and so much grief gripped Draco’s heart as he tried not to break down.

            A rustling noise had them whirling around, prepared for a fight.

            _‘About time speaker and Draco come home. The body was beginning to smell.’_ Sephtis hissed out.

            **_‘What?’_** Draco whispered, not understanding at all.

            _‘Intruders happened. I bit one of them in the room with the talking man in a frame. His dead smell is heady.’_

            Harry stiffened in surprise and disgust. There was a dead body in his living room?

            **_‘What about Kreacher? Where is his body?’_ ** Draco hated how steady his voice was. It warred with the inner distress of his emotions.

            _‘Azad swallowed him to halt the death process until you could save him. Don’t know why he would want to bother.’_

They both ignored the grumbled insult. **_‘You mean he is alive?’_**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost titled this chapter Oh my god, for the amount of times I said it. 
> 
> So... you don't feel like killing me, right? *Crosses fingers.* I was soooo going to end the chapter before Sephtis came in but I think you really would have killed me then. Does it make me evil that I am regretting not doing that?
> 
> This may not be the most jam packed duel you have ever seen but there was an importance to it. One that showed how well Draco can think and strategize. There doesn't have to be action for him to succeed. So even though it wasn't as drama filled as it could have been, it was exactly as I had foreseen it going. 
> 
> I don't want you all to think that everything will be fixed with Harry's conversation but it did go a LONG way to mending things. They got to hear personal things and thoughts from Harry that were real and somewhat emotional. That speaks more powerfully than a lecture or his anger ever would. The things he was saying wasn't something on the surface that someone who didn't know Draco on a deeper level would be able to say. I don't know. It just seemed moving to me. 
> 
> The way the Gryffindor's just jump into topics and conversations is something that I could easily see happening. Like Harry said, they are a talkative bunch. The Gryffindors rarely ever shut up. It would be a big change from what Draco is used to. 
> 
> Can I get some kind of high five for Draco's badassery? I was loving him in this chapter. 
> 
> There was a point where Harry said nearly the same thing that Draco had thought. Don't know if you picked it up. But it shows how attuned they are with each other. 
> 
> Dean and Seamus as an item is now my secret thing. I have seen them as side couples before but never looked into it. Do they have a ship name? 
> 
> If you are wondering how the Venadere knew that Harry and Draco were working against them, keep wondering. :P 
> 
> I actually won't say much on Kreacher at all. Just know that he will be addressed in the next chapter. Unless I decide to do a filler. Kidding!! Totally kidding. I won't do a filler... probably won't do a filler. *Smirks* 
> 
> I think that is all for now. 
> 
> -XxTheDarkLordxX
> 
> Oh! Wait! So, someone told me that one of my stories summary had been shared on Tumblr. I didn't have one( I know, I must live under a rock). I made one. What the hell do I do with it? I feel like some little old lady with no computer ability all of a sudden. My sister swears up and down that this will enhance a reader following, but... I am completely lost and I don't know if that is pathetic or endearing. So... if you have pointers, let me know. Or if you just want to laugh at me, that's cool too. My username (because someone totally took mine) is xx-thedarklord-xx


	8. Potions, Emotions and Explosions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be totally honest, I wasn't even supposed to be writing this. I had set time aside to write the next oneshot to my mini series and then this was all my mind wanted to come up with. I guess that is good for you guys. :P
> 
> I don't think there are really any warnings. Some bits might seem a little gross but nothing too gory or anything.
> 
> Enjoy!

They both ignored the grumbled insult. _**_‘You mean he is alive?’_**_

_‘That is what I said, isn’t it? Has the absence of snake presence in your travels altered your ability to hear?’_

Draco shot him a glare as hope sprang up inside of him. He shoved aside his trepidation as he grabbed Harry’s hand and apparated them to the living room. There was _no_ way that he would be walking in the blood that was on the floor. He sighed in relief when Azad was near the body on the ground. He dropped Harry’s hand in favor of getting out floo powder and throwing it into the fire.

            “Harry!” Sirius cried out the moment he saw them. “There was—” He stopped when Draco held up a hand.

            “Just a moment. Tell us when I get my father here.” He said in a rush. He needed to act immediately and having Sirius recount what happened would be nothing but a distraction right now.

            “Draco, do you realize what time it is?” Lucius drawled as he pretended to be upset. He had been hoping to hear from his son at regular intervals. But he had realized that they would be busy on their honeymoon and might not check in often.

            “Oh! You are talking to Draco?” Narcissa would later deny sprinting to her husband’s side in the excitement of seeing her sons.

            “Father, I have a 6-41.”

            Lucius blinked rapidly as Narcissa sucked in a sharp breath. “Step back.” He commanded before grabbing his wife’s hand and throwing in extra floo powder. Six-forty-one was a dead intruder. His mind was barely coming to grips with the fact that his son was back home let alone having someone dead in the house.

            Harry reached behind him to move Draco out of the way, allowing Lucius to enter. His eyes were fixed towards the dead guy, trying to figure out why the person seemed slightly familiar. Had he seen the man somewhere?

            Lucius and Narcissa stepped through with worry as they could see tear tracks on both boys’ faces. What had happened? Had there been a fight?

            Lucius stepped over the body as he began running a bunch of diagnostic spells. He paused when he focused on the person.

            “ _Why_ is Atol Penrose dead on your floor?” He looked over when a retching noise reached his ears. His brows rose at the nearly dead house elf that had just been regurgitated on the floor by the hellhound. He stopped looking at the dead man and moved towards the elf. He wrinkled his nose at the saliva and gross smell wafting from the elf, something probably caused by the hellhound.

            Harry kneeled near Kreacher and let out a breath of despair at the sight of the cuts, scrapes, gashes and holes in his body. So much blood had been in the kitchen. Could the elf live with the heavy loss? Kreacher wasn’t even recognizable. His skin was nearly crusted over with blood.

            Draco quickly went to the floo and waited for Severus to answer the call. Those wounds were too serious for his father to handle alone.

            Draco looked behind him when his father’s words registered. He gasped right along with his mother as he peered at the dead man. “Merlin. It _is_ him.”

            “Who is that?” Harry wondered, still trying to place the man.

            “He is— _was_ a lead investigator for the Department of Internal Ministry Investigation and Regulations.” Narcissa whispered.

            “The what?” Harry wondered. “Is that a part of the Law Enforcement Department?” He hummed in thought as he thought back to the times he had been inside the Ministry. He supposed it was possible that he had seen the guy in passing.

            “No.” Lucius explained as he detected some kind of poison in the elf’s body that was keeping the wounds open. “They are an internal enforcement. They investigate the Ministry and ensure that everything is running as it should. An internal affairs so to speak, to prevent corruption.” He rolled his eyes at that. They weren't doing a good job.

            Harry shared a horrified look with Draco. If a member of the _Venadere_ was someone so deeply imbedded into the Ministry _and_ someone of power, then they were _so screwed_.

            “Love, get me Severus and Remus.” Lucius told his wife, not realizing that Draco had already done that.

            “This better be good.” Severus exclaimed as he was followed by a sleepy Remus who was rubbing his eyes. They both froze at the sight of a dead body and a possibly dead house elf.

            Remus hissed in pain as he put up several shields around him. “There’s some kind of chemical agent aimed towards those of Creature inheritance.” He shot out several charms, hoping to figure out what was going on. “I can’t tell if it is aimed at only werewolves or something else.”

            Harry and Draco snapped their eyes towards each other as they both recalled the note. It had said the _Venadere_ had a left a present for their ‘furry guests’.

            Severus narrowed his eyes at the red welts appearing on his lover’s skin. He began unleashing his own spells, helping the process.

            “I can’t—” Remus cried out at the increased pain. He tried to push past the pain but it was horrible. It felt as if a crucio was attacking his skin instead of his muscles. He wanted to scratch it off but the pain felt as if small knives or needles were pricking him. Each small touch felt a thousand times enhanced. He let out a whimper when the spells weren’t working. His eyes stung with tears when it seemed never-ending.

            Harry and Draco combined their magic and wound small amounts of the bond into it to put up a shield. They had no idea if this would work but they had to do s _omething_. Seeing Remus in pain was a horrible sight. When Remus sighed in relief, they knew it worked for the moment.      

            “The air will have to be purified.” Severus noted as he pulled out healing salves and started dabbing the marks that he could see. “You said it was a chemical agent?”

            “Yes.” Remus whispered as he watched the tender care Severus was showing when applying the salve. “There is a slight smell to the air, I thought it was because of the body but I don’t think so anymore.” He smelled the air again but whatever shield Harry and Draco put up had blocked all parts of the mixed concoction.

            “We will need to take samples, to identify what it is and find some counter spell or potion.” Severus hated the thought that this could happen again. He had no idea what it was and that was something that didn’t sit well with him. There was hardly ever a time where he was caught off guard with unknown spells, let alone a potion. A chemical agent was something routinely muggle. If this was a combination of spell, potion or even a muggle chemical, then this was _bad_.

            “Severus.” Lucius commanded. “Give Remus the jar, I need your help over here. I need as many blood replenishing potions as you have. This elf won’t live past the hour without it.”

            Remus took the jar from Severus and nudged him towards Kreacher. “I’ll be fine.” He promised before kissing his cheek.

            Severus nodded once and began working on the elf. He furrowed his brows at the poison in the wounds. “This is similar to Nagini’s bite.” He remarked as tried to think of what kind of snake could have done this.

            “He has been poisoned.” Severus told Harry and Draco. “Do you know by what?”

            Harry looked all around until his eyes rested on Sephtis. **_‘What bit him?’_** He didn’t think it was Sephtis who had done it, because he trusted the snake.

            _‘It smelled of snake but was human. Didn’t respond to our language. Never encountered something like it before.’_

Sephtis’s answer had Draco sharing a look with Harry. **_‘Sounds like a hybrid of some kind.’_** Harry pointed out.

            Draco looked back to Severus. “Sephtis says it was human but also snake-like. Possibly a hybrid.”

            “What?” Remus whispered as he shot the snake a doubtful look. He had never heard of that before. There had been rumors of Nagas sometimes entering their world but the last sighting of a Naga had been _centuries_ ago and not entirely credible.

            “I saw it. The snake is definitely telling the truth.” Sirius piped up. “It was dark but it had human arms but a snake body.” He had never encountered something like that when he had been alive. Rumors of creatures like that had been around but those were just whispers, never found to be true.

             Severus had to put whatever it could have been behind him. He didn’t have the time to guess things or play around. He thought to the potions he had on him and what might help the elf. “I don’t have the necessary stuff to heal him.” All of this was making him think back to the potions and _repeated_ spells it had taken for him to survive after his own horrible snake bites.

            “What do you need?” Draco asked quickly. “I’ve got a small potions lab downstairs.” It had been a place for him to work when his mind was needing a distraction or when he just needed to relax.

            “Do you have Activated Charcoal?” Severus asked as he tried binding the wounds together.

            “I have charcoal.” Draco bit his lip. What did Activated Charcoal mean? Was there a difference?

            “If you got it at a typical apothecary then it should be what I am looking for.” Severus mused out loud. “I need powdered silver and dittany.” He listed as he cursed when the wounds weren’t healing.

            Remus jerked slightly. “That is used to bind werewolf bites.” He looked down at Kreacher curiously, trying to see if a werewolf had bitten him too.

            “I know.” Severus reminded him. “But these wounds aren’t healing. It is a precaution if the charcoal can’t absorb the poison.”

            Remus tilted his head in consideration as he added more salve to his skin. Thinking of using powdered silver was interesting. He wouldn’t have thought of that at all. It would make sense in a way. Both the poison and a werewolf bite have a lot in common. Both enter the blood stream the same way, killing and changing things in the blood. Both a toxin to the body’s immune system. He wondered if this is how Severus or Arthur had been treated when they had come in contact with snake venom.

            “Bring all the Charcoal you can.” Severus yelled when Draco turned around and went towards the door leading downstairs. “I’ll need it to purify the air.”

            Remus arched a brow. That was a muggle tactic. It would seem his sexy Potions Master was also proficient in Chemistry. “That is only going to get rid of things on a molecular level.” He mused. “How are you going to get rid of the rest?”

            Lucius began cleaning off the blood of the elf as he listened to the conversation. He saved as much of it as he could, it would provide good material to study from. It could help them figure more about this poison. As far as he knew, Nagini had been the only snake that had venom like this. The snake was dead, so what species of snake had done this? Naga seemed too out there. There had never been a _legitimate_ sighting to begin with. It was all fantasy.

            “I don’t have anything near the requirements that would work well with the Charcoal, that is where spells will have to come in handy.” Severus willed his mind to work faster as he opened a few potion vials.

            “Harry do you have any fairy wings?” Severus asked. “I need it to add to the potions. Wizard blood won’t work very well when replenishing him. Different species entirely, not even close in requirements. It could do more harm than good. Especially if his body rejects it.”

            Harry took off quickly, running down the stairs. He almost hit Draco, if his husband hadn’t gripped on to him, he might have fallen.

            “Woah, what’s wrong?” Draco wondered, thankful he had placed the potions in a case and not just in his hands.

            “Do we have fairy wings?”

            Draco blinked rapidly. “What in the world for?” He asked even though he was already turning around to grab the ingredient.

            “Severus says they are needed for the blood replenishing potions.”

            The thought had Draco closing his eyes. Of course. Why hadn’t he thought of that? He had never been more grateful for his godfather then he was right now. He himself was great when it came to potions too, but his mind wasn’t really working well at the moment.

            “I thought that fairy wings can be erratic when added to a potion. Couldn’t it alter the potion in a different direction?” Harry asked as he recalled his knowledge of the ingredient.

            “Exactly.” Draco mumbled as he rummaged around the ingredients. Summoning them would be bad, if the wings reacted to the magic it could have a negative impact.

             “He is _hoping_ it will alter the potion. He needs it to change the blood replenishing potion because of the type of blood inside it. There are a few recipes out there that are a made for universal recipients. Which will allow _anyone_ whether they are wizard, muggle or magical creature the freedom to use a blood replenishing potion. But that is _really_ difficult to brew. It is hard being able to anticipate how the potion will react towards everyone instead of just one target audience.” He made a triumphant noise when he found them. He grabbed all of them that he could, not knowing how much that Severus would need.

            “Angel, grab all the ingredients you can, just in case he needs more.”

            Harry nodded but stopped when he felt a shift inside of Draco’s emotions. He pulled the other boy in his arms and held tightly. “It will be alright. Severus will save him.”

            “You don’t know that.” Draco croaked out thickly. “The poison might be too strong to counter.” He recalled the cuts and abrasions with doubt. “It looked bad.”

            Harry rubbed Draco’s back up and down as he fought his own doubts. He was worried too. Kreacher is a cranky, grouchy mumbling elf at the best of times but he is also caring, loved them and had been their first and strongest supporter.

            “He has to make it.” Draco blinked rapidly as a few tears fell. He closed his eyes tightly as he gripped Harry’s shoulders and buried his face in his neck. “He _has_ to.”

            “I believe he will.” Harry whispered. “Severus will do everything that he can. You _know_ he will. The man is a renowned Potions Master with a brilliant mind. Don’t lose faith now.”

            Remus covered his mouth when he came down the stairs to see what the holdup was. Or as his lover said, ‘tell them to hurry the fuck up, or I will use their own blood to fill him’. He blinked rapidly to hold his own tears as he watched them. He had known that they cared for Kreacher, but not like _this_.

            “Can I help you bring up more ingredients?” Remus choked out, interrupting their moment.

            “Please.” Draco whispered as he straightened away from Harry and made his way towards the stairs. Not liking that Remus had seen his lapse in control.

            “Thank you.” Remus told Harry, causing the younger man to turn to him in confusion. “Thank you for believing in Severus.” It was hard seeing the distrust his lover had to face on a daily basis. Even after all of the things Severus had done in the war. After giving so much up for the light side. Remus _hated_ that no one was willing to look mast the dark mark that he bore. It angered him that such a good man was all but shoved into a box of evil with the rest of the deatheaters.

            Harry smiled softly, albeit a little sadly. “I always will.” Of that he was certain.

            Sirius watched Draco rush into the room with a case full of ingredients curiously. He had never thought so much effort would be made for Kreacher. The elf had been every living embodiment of everything wrong with the Black family. He hadn’t seen much of their interactions to understand _why_ they cared so much for the elf. Kreacher was such an arse for someone so small. The fresh tears on the boy’s cheeks made his brows furrow as he tried to understand just what it was that they could see in Kreacher.

            “About time.” Severus quipped without heat as he quickly combined the ingredients he would need the best that he could. He summoned a shrunken cauldron he always carried on him and enlarged it before lighting a fire underneath.

            “You are heating the fairy wings?” Draco asked in surprise. That was something he never would have thought to do. It was certainly something Noah had never even thought of either. Heating something so temperamental would be a risk. The fairy wings could corrupt with the heat and turn into something dangerous or make an entirely new substance all together.

            “Obviously.” He retorted as he dumped all of the wings in the cauldron. He didn’t leave them in there for long before he pulled them back out. “I want them to retain their shape and form for now, but I needed them heated enough and a normal fire would have charred bits of it.”

            Draco tilted his head to the side as he tried to figure out the benefits of that. “Heating them would waken up some of the dormant magic of the fairy they had once belonged to. Making it _that_ much more unpredictable in what it will do.”

            “Which is just what I need.” Severus mumbled under his breath as he summoned a mortar and pestle. “Grind them into a powder.”

            The odd action made no sense to Draco but he quickly did as he was told. It was obvious that he was behind the loop on whatever his godfather was doing.

            “Remus, make the silver and dittany.” He knew this was something his lover knew how to make. It was a monthly ritual that was done for the wounds left over after the transformation.

            Draco arched a brow at that. Merlin, he felt like a first year all over again as some ideas just flew over his head. He would definitely have to sit with Severus when this was all over and learn some of this from him.

            Remus nodded his head and quickly got to work, hoping that it wouldn’t be needed. Silver and dittany wasn’t the strongest of things when working on magical creatures outside of a werewolf. He hadn’t ever heard of a house elf needing it but he knew that a few Veela had died from being bitten by a werewolf, their blood couldn’t morph into a partial Veela, partial werewolf. Not that this situation was dealing with a werewolf bite. It was just that the silver and dittany hadn’t ever worked on other magical creatures before.

            Narcissa wasn’t sure exactly what she would be needed for. She was not a potions expert nor was she up to date on some of their more obscure method of doing things. She was too wired up to do nothing, so she began straightening things up and collecting anything that they would need later on.

            “Will you look for anything out of place or evidence of any kind?” Lucius asked his wife, without looking up from his task. He didn’t want her to feel useless, because she was anything but.

            The new task filled Narcissa with a sense of purpose and she pulled out her wand to do just that.

            “Be careful in the kitchen.” Harry warned her. “It’s not a pretty sight.”

            The warning had her highly curious and chose to start her investigation there.

            Draco handed Severus the now powdered fairy wings and watched him dump them back into the cauldron along with a few of the blood replenishing potions.

            Severus narrowed his eyes as he split his attention between keeping his magic closing the wounds and trying to watch the potion bubble. “Lucius, do you think you can take over the bigger gash? I need to focus on the potion.”

            “Done.”

            Lucius pulled on some of his inner strength as he focused on keeping the giant gash that was covering the elf’s chest closed. He was already placing a lot of effort on the smaller ones, but he still had enough energy for this.

            Harry watched the sweat form on Lucius’s face and had to wonder how much this was costing him. He walked over to his father in-law, knelt down and placed his hands on top of pale ones.    

            The moment Harry’s hands touched Lucius, the older man felt as if his body had been reenergized and his own magic was increased. It was a good thing they had an understanding and a welcoming relationship, otherwise that action might have killed Lucius. Magic entering someone else’s body isn’t something that should be done without a deeper understanding of the human anatomy. If his body had rejected the magic on the basis of a foreign entity, it would have been disastrous.

            “Thank you.” Lucius whispered as he focused on keeping the wounds closed the best he could. He wondered if Harry even knew what he had just done. He had never been more awed by the brunette, then he was right now.

            “Where is the charcoal?” Severus asked as he stirred the potion once counterclockwise. There was something not quite right with it. The color just wasn’t where he needed it at the moment. He debated about keeping it boiling much longer but that might make the whole thing a moot point.

            Draco pulled it out of his ingredient case and held it out. He noticed that his godfather was completely out of hands and overworked. He reached over and did what Harry had done and offered a bit of his magic as well.

            Severus closed his eyes briefly at the incredibly selfless action. He knew that Draco realized the full gravity of that act. Allowing someone else to use your magic was rarely ever done. It was a show of weakness and strength rolled into one. When the magic is leaving the body, the recipient can _take_ more than was intended. It was a gesture only done when there is _complete_ trust in the other person. He was a little awed and overwhelmed by the whole thing.

            “Draco, I need you to place _tiny_ amounts of charcoal along the wounds. I will open a few of them and I need you to act _quickly_. I will try and keep the blood from pooling but it will be touch and go for a moment.”

            Harry furrowed his brows as Severus spoke to Draco. That seemed like that would be counterproductive. If too much blood came out, then the charcoal would coat with it and not make it _into_ the blood stream. It would remain on the outside, doing nothing. He placed his hands on Kreacher’s head and used his magic to seep into the elf’s body. He pushed tentatively, asking for permission. He wasn’t even sure if Kreacher’s magic would respond while the elf was unconscious. When nothing happened, he bit his lip and tried a different approach.

            Harry remembered that Kreacher had once said that they shared a service bond. Kreacher could use that bond and find him anywhere because Harry was his Master. If that was true, then why couldn’t the same be said in reverse? Surely, he would be able to sense the bond as well?

            Draco gasped when he felt the bond snap shut with a force that he hadn’t felt in a long time. He snapped his head over to Harry and wondered what was going on. He narrowed his eyes when Harry’s lips began to move. ‘I love you’. It hadn’t been said but mouthed. It was a message for him, letting him know not to worry and that closing the bond wasn’t personal.

            “Alright.” Draco breathed, it was an answer for Severus just as much as it was for Harry.

            With the bond closed, Harry expected his bond with Kreacher to be shining but that wasn’t the case. It wasn’t something that he could even detect at all. He just felt the lonely emptiness of not having the soulmate bond open. Why couldn’t he detect it? Why couldn’t he sense anything?

            A sudden thought had him almost groaning at his own stupidity. “Remus.” Harry called, keeping his eyes closed and his hands on Kreacher. “I need a tiny amount of your magic. Just a little.”

            Remus arched a brow and wanted to ask Harry if he knew what he was asking. That was personal and _not_ something that people just ask for. He caught Severus’s nod of approval and wanted to huff. He was missing something here, he had to be. He shrugged his shoulders and carefully made his way over to Harry. He gingerly placed a hand on Harry’s arm and placed a _miniscule_ amount of magic into his cub. He didn’t know what would really happen if he did more than that. His magic was completely different than a typical person. His creature blood had altered his core and changed things. It was dangerous placing any amount of magic inside of the younger man.

            The moment Harry felt the magic enter his body, he was able to sense the bond. He couldn’t sense it before because he just didn’t have the same kind of abilities as a Magical Being. The bond with Kreacher was different than he expected. It was small and in a different capacity then his with Draco. This one didn’t have a go-between in emotions or anything of the sort, not that he thought it would. This bond was centered around life. It combined them in a string of life, allowing Kreacher to sense Harry’s wellbeing and stability.

            Harry targeted that string and held onto it, pushing some of his magic into that bond and waiting patiently to see if it would be allowed in.

            There was a silence as Remus lifted his hand away and watched to see if there would be any change to Harry.

            Harry let out a breath of relief when he was allowed entry. He used the string of life that connected them and sent in a flood of his magic. It was odd, he could almost _see_ where Kreacher was losing pieces of himself, which would have to be his wounds. He focused on the blood, he focused on retaining it _inside_ of Kreacher, making it so that even if the wounds were held open, the blood wouldn’t escape.

            “Open the wounds.” Harry whispered, not opening his eyes at all.

            Severus arched a brow but did what Harry said. He blinked rapidly when no blood seeped out. What had the boy done now?

            Draco quickly placed the charcoal in all of the open wounds and was careful not to add too much. He wasn’t sure what Harry had done but he was going to use this advantage.

            Once Draco was done, Severus closed the wounds and gestured for Lucius to open the ones that he had been focusing on. He looked to his potion as his friend followed his silent instruction. The potion still wasn’t what it should be, which was worrying him. He didn’t have a lot of time to figure this out.

            “I need a live animal.” Severus spoke up when he realized that he couldn’t just wait for the potion to either work or fail. He would have to help it along.

            Draco bit his lip as he thought it over, he wasn’t about to offer up any of their pets, no matter how much Sephtis disagreed with that title. He held out his hand, hoping that Kreacher had been giving Azure mice to eat.

            He sighed in relief when a wiggling mouse smacked into his palm. He curled his mouth up in distaste. Draco didn’t like the feel of the squirming rodent. It made him feel gross.

            “Lucius, can you separate the poison from the excess blood that was on Kreacher's body?”

            Lucius breathed out in exasperation and in slight doubt. He had no idea if he would be able to do that. He was limited with his abilities as it was, what with holding parts of the elf’s wounds closed. With Harry holding back the blood, it _did_ make things easier. He nodded his head and split his mental awareness in two, to be able to subconsciously keep up magic in one area _and_ focus on the poison. His sons better appreciate the lengths he was going for this house elf. This was a lot of work.

            Luckily, it was easy to suck out the venom from the blood on the outside of the body. If only it was a simple task on the bloodstream. Once he was confident that he had isolated the poison completely, he summoned a vial and filled it with the substance before holding it out.

            “Remus, inject this poison into the mouse and use your magic to quicken the process.”

            Remus arched a brow at that. They were _infecting_ a poor animal. What had the poor mouse ever done to them? He huffed but did as was asked. This did not sit well with him.

            “I need to get the antibodies out of the animal and use it as an antivenin.”

            Harry would have let out a low whistle but he couldn’t afford the distraction, holding back the blood was harder than it he thought it would be. He was impressed with the combination of magical and muggle knowledge Severus was using. Fuck, if he was ever harmed, he was bypassing the hospital wing and going to him.

            “How do you plan on doing that?” Remus wondered as he stunned the mouse, he didn’t want to see the rodent’s eyes as the poison took over his body. They weren’t exactly in a sterile environment, nor was he a fucking scientist. This was _way_ above their paygrade.

            Severus wanted to say that he had no idea but he figured that wouldn’t promote self confidence in his abilities. He tried to think of magical ways he would be able to do this, since the muggle ways wouldn’t really help at the moment.

            “Harry what exactly are you doing?” Severus wondered as he added a few Murtlap tentacles to the potion. He hoped that would fix the color some.

            “I have connected to the bond that I share with him as his Master.”

            Draco narrowed his eyes as a flare of irrational jealousy filled him that anyone would have a bond with Harry but he shoved that away. This wasn’t the time to think about that nor was it even justified. He had always known about the house elf bond.

            “Remus’s magic allowed me to sense it. I see the string of life that connects the two of us.”

            Remus dropped his mouth open in surprise. That had not been what he thought his magic was going for.

            “Can you see more than just the string of life?” Severus asked as a thought had him pausing briefly. “Can you see the poison?”

            The question had Harry focusing further as he tried to see if that was possible. He had been able to see the wounds, which would affect the life string. He hummed as he tried to go deeper.

            “I don’t know.” He admitted in frustration. “I can sense that something is there but it is hard because I am using borrowed magic that was limited.”

            Remus stepped up and hesitantly added more into Harry. He was worried about the consequences of this. It wasn’t safe for him to share it in such a concentrated form between Magical Creature and wizard.

            When more magic entered Harry’s body, he almost gasped at everything he could feel. It was unreal. There was so much of Kreacher’s life that was visible in his mind.

            “Yes.” Harry whispered. “I see the poison.” It wasn’t exactly colors that he could see, it was shades of darkness. There was a pure black oozing of _wrong_ that was inside of Kreacher’s body. It was the poison and it was everywhere. It was so embedded into the elf’s body that it lowered his confidence. He worried for what this meant.

            “Alright.” Severus came to a decision. One that was horribly reckless, stupid and just plain idiotic. It would never be something to write about or even something to shake the healing community. This was horribly Gryffindor and probably going to end in disaster.

            “Lucius, drain the mouse of _all_ of its blood.” He knew that Remus wouldn’t appreciate being asked to do that. “Separate it into multiple vials. This might take multiple tries.” He checked his potion and sighed when it was looking close to how it should. He quickly took it off the heat and gestured for Draco to start bottling it up.

            “Harry, does it look like the charcoal is absorbing the poison?”

            Harry tried to find the charcoal but it wasn’t like seeing with his eyes. The dark shades were hard to decipher. It was hard to understand what shade was what. “I can’t tell.” He admitted with a frown. “Is it possible to add more, since I can see the difference now that I am looking for it?”

            Severus looked to Draco who immediately added more charcoal when Severus opened up some of the wounds.

            The way Remus refused to look towards Lucius as he cut open the rodent and quickly drained it of its blood, had the blonde man rolling his eyes. It was just a mouse. Either the mouse died or the elf died. It was one or the other.

            Harry furrowed his brows when there was a shift of shades. There was something _slightly_ lighter than the poison mixing and combining with the toxicity before the dark ooze lessened marginally.

            “It’s working but not nearly quick enough to make a difference.”

            That was something Severus expected but was good to hear that Harry _could_ sense it. That meant that his plan _might_ work.

            “Harry, I need you to listen to me carefully.” That had the younger man straightening his spine as he gave whatever free attention he could, towards listening to Severus.

            “There are four vials of blood that Lucius is placing in front of you. I need you to put your magic into it and use your senses to take out anything that isn’t the antibodies that will work in tangent with my potion.”

            _“What?”_ Four unison voices spoke up at once.

            “How in the hell is he supposed to do that?” Lucius asked in derision.

            “What kind of plan is that?” Asked Draco with arched brows. There was so much risk in that. Had his godfather lost his fucking mind?

            “Are you sure?” Remus whispered doubtfully.

            “What does an antibody look like?” Harry mumbled under his breath. This was putting a lot of stress on his shoulders.

            “You were able to sense the poison, his blood, the charcoal and anything that was wrong inside of him. I _know_ that you will be able to see this too.” He wasn’t, not even close but false confidence was needed at the moment. It was the only thing he could do. So, he lied.

            Lucius and Draco shared incredulous looks as they tried to process the completely insane plan. Harry’s eyes were closed! He was doing all of this blind and on instinct. This was illogical and completely reckless.

            “Alright.” Harry whispered, stalling any protests that Lucius and Draco had been about to say. If Severus believed he could do it, then he would give it a try.

            “Draco, place the silver and dittany on all of the wounds.” Severus said just to keep the boy distracted. He knew a potential tantrum when he saw one.

            Draco huffed and debated about it but his worry for Kreacher far outweighed his frustration at his godfather.

            Harry lifted one of his hands off of Kreacher’s body and placed it over where he figured the vials were.

            Lucius rolled his eyes as he moved Harry’s hand away from where it was hovering over his crotch and guided it towards the vials. He shot his friend a glare at the obvious flaws of the whole plan. _Harry couldn’t see a damn thing._

            The same issue popped up as the last time he tried to sense anything. “I need more magic, Remus.”

            Remus shook his head rapidly. There was no way that Harry’s body could take more. This was dangerous. Who knew what could happen.

            “Do it.” Draco whispered as he finished putting the last of the paste on the outside of the wounds. “I’ll take the side effects into myself.” He placed one of his hands on top of Harry’s hand that was still on Kreacher.

            “Side effects?” Harry asked with a jerk of his body. He didn’t like the sound of that at all.

            “Draco.” Lucius whispered. “You can’t just take in a backlash like that.”

            “I know.” He retorted with a patience that didn’t match the annoyance inside of him. He wasn’t a child. Draco knew exactly what he was doing. “I’m going to release it into a barrier.” His mind was already flashing to his duel with Sloper. Remus’s unstable magic would enter Harry, Draco would take the bad and filter it into his own body and release it into the barriers.

            “That’s highly dangerous. The balance and ratio you would have to implement in just a few seconds is—” Lucius was cut off by Harry clearing his throat.

            “He knows what he is doing.” Harry whispered with determination and conviction.

            Draco leaned forward and kissed the side of Harry’s temple in gratitude.

            Remus looked between the two of them with his lip trapped by his teeth. He didn’t like this. So much could go wrong. His magic could become unstable and explode outwards. It wasn’t even the fact that the building could be leveled, it was the danger to Harry and Draco’s magic. It could implode from the inside.

            Sirius gaped. This was a lot of work over just an elf. They were all risking their lives instead of just grieving over the loss of a house elf and moving on. This seemed like too much to him. Had being dead harshened his emotions and caused a pessimistic view? Or was he missing the whole point completely?

            “Believe in Draco.” Harry whispered. “As I believed.” He reminded the man of their earlier conversation regarding Severus.

            Remus closed his eyes at the unfair reminder. “Alright.” He conceded. If Harry really believed that Draco could do this. Then he would listen to his cub. He prayed that they knew what they were doing.

            Again, the moment the magic entered Harry’s body, he could sense things he didn’t think were possible.

            Draco immediately drew up barriers and several shields to keep them all protected. He nudged Harry until their bond opened up again, he needed to be able to connect to Harry enough to draw out any unstable magic.

            “More.” Harry demanded as his magic entered the vials of blood. He could see the black sludge of the poison.

            The demand worried Remus but he pushed back his worry and did as was asked.

            Draco tensed when something _wrong_ filled the bond. It was frantic and too much energy. He drew in a breath as he pulled it into his own body and then pushed it outwards into the barriers.

            A loud boom sounded as the unstable magic made contact with the barriers, causing Narcissa to come running. She had just cleaned up the blood in the kitchen and secured it all into vials. She blinked rapidly at the odd scene and wondered what in the world was going on. Had she missed something?

            The creaky sound of something had her eyes flitting upwards at the chandelier that was barely hanging on. She shot a spell to suspend it, just in case another crash happened.

            There was so many shades that Harry was unsure which one was supposed to be what they needed. This was _so_ hard. Severus was sure he could do this? How? That seemed like too much trust him with.

            “Lucius move my hand over the next one.” He wasn’t sure if there was anything in the first one. He needed to see more.

            Severus gingerly released the hold he had on the wounds and was pleased to see that the silver and dittany had managed to seal them. He began mixing charcoal and several other ingredients to work on purifying the air. There wasn’t much he could do at the moment for Kreacher without Harry’s help, so he needed to keep busy.

            A flash of heat had Draco scrambling to get the unstable magic out of his body. He gasped in pain as it left him and entered the barriers.

            “I need a healing potion.” That one had been close. He had been a millisecond too late and some of the magic hadn’t left quick enough.

            Narcissa scrambled as she looked through the vials in the case Draco had brought up. She hastily poured it down her son’s throat since his hands were busy.

            Harry had to block out the worry he felt for Draco and concentrated on searching for what he was supposed to be focused on. He had been about to tell Lucius to help him move on to the next one but something had him stopping. It was light, way lighter than the poison. He quickly asked Lucius to help him to the next, hoping to see it there as well.

            Two out of the four vials had the lighter shade, not as much as Severus would have liked but Kreacher was rather small. “Can you extract it?”

            Harry bit his lip. “With more magic, possibly.” He admitted.

            Remus closed his eyes as he fought the urge to tell Harry no. Draco hadn’t been too harmed and the healing potion seemed to work as it should. But that didn’t mean that nothing could go wrong this time.

            “Draco.” That was Remus allowed himself to say. He managed to get all the worry and frustration out in one word.

            “I know.” Draco whispered back as he locked onto concerned topaz eyes. “I can do this.”

            The renewed magic had Harry’s focus that much stronger. He quickly went to work siphoning out the lighter shades.

            Lucius quickly brought out an empty vial and guided Harry’s hands toward it when it looked like he was finished with the first one.

            Severus took the vial from Lucius and combined it with his replenishing potion and quickly dropped the elf’s mouth open to pour it down.

            Draco frowned as some of Remus’s magic didn’t want to leave. It was unstable but not to the point of being erratic. He huffed at the fact that even the werewolf’s magic adored Harry. He had to tug relentlessly to get it to leave, which caused the previously not erratic magic to become erratic. Figures life hated him.

            Draco quickly pushed out the slightly angry magic out of his body and sighed in relief when there was no backlash. He almost wept in pure joy when he realized that Harry was done. Thank fucking god.

            The last vial was handed to Severus who split it into two, keeping some of it for testing purposes and samples. The other half was to use in case Kreacher needed more.

            Harry placed his other hand back on Kreacher after squeezing Lucius’s hand in silent thanks for the help. He watched with a baited breath to see if the improved potion was going to work.

            Relief filtered through the bond causing Draco to slump against Harry’s body in relief. He buried his face in his husband’s neck and let out a choked sob.

            “Well don’t leave us all in suspense.” Lucius drawled out as he tried to figure out if his son was relieved or depressed. It was hard to tell. The boy had been one for dramatics lately.

            “It’s working.” Harry breathed out as he rested his head against Draco’s. “It’s working.” The charcoal had worked so slowly, but combined with the potion and the antibodies, the poison was ebbing away.

            “He is going to need another dose.” Severus remarked as he began getting it ready with what little had remained. “I wouldn’t administer it until he wakes and we can look him over.”

            Draco nodded his head as he looked to Kreacher. If one didn’t know any better, it would look as if the elf was just sleeping. There was no pain at all on his face. It wasn’t as if the poison was detectable on the outside.

            “Put out the fire.” Severus instructed before he stepped out of the shields keeping Remus safe from the infected air. He tried filling his vial with whatever chemical was in the air but it was invisible, so he wasn’t sure if he had even done anything.

            When the fire was extinguished, Severus placed a bubble head charm on himself and began sucking air out of the room that wasn’t protected. He used the charcoal concoction to attempt to purify the room the best that he could.

            Lucius looked to the dead Ministry member with a heavy sigh. He didn’t have the faintest idea how they were supposed to go about this. The spells he ran over the dead body let him know that poison had been the cause of death but it wasn’t the same kind as was inside Kreacher.

            “Why was this man in your home?” Lucius asked as he frowned down at the guy. “How did he get in here?”

            “He’s a part of the _Venadere_.” Draco whispered.

            Remus blinked rapidly as he fought the shiver the name threatened to bring out. So many dead people and all done by one organization. It was hard to fathom.

            “They even infiltrated the Ministry.” Lucius mumbled. Well, it wasn’t a bad tactic. It was something the Dark Lord had done as well. “They are smart though, have to give them credit.”

            “How so?” Harry didn’t like the idea of them being smart. It made things _that_ much more difficult for them.

            “His department is the _very_ one we would go to, to report a crime like this. A Ministry member being a part of the _Venadere_ is something that the Department of Internal Ministry Investigation and Regulations would handle. To have someone _in_ that department is sheer genius.” It was said bitterly, because it was making all of this seem so hard to fix.

            “I don’t like this.” Draco and Harry said in unison as they continued to hold onto each other. Needing the comfort the other one could provide.

            “Not to make this situation worse.” Sirius began a little hesitantly. “But I recognized a few of the people and you have more problems than you thought.”

            “Don’t keep us waiting, Black.” Severus snarled halfheartedly, he didn’t have the energy to argue with the dead man.

            “Several inmates were among the group. They entered through the fire. My guess, is they used a Ministry emergency override to allow entry. If that guy is really a part of the Internal Ministry Investigation and Regulations department, then that would have been simple.”

            Lucius and Severus shared a long considering look. There weren’t too many runaway deatheaters left. Most of them had been round up or died being captured.

            “Which deatheaters were they?”

            Sirius arched a brow. “I never said they were deatheaters.” He said slowly, speaking to Lucius as if he was slow. “I said _inmates_. I recognized some of them from Azkaban. They may not be deatheaters but they  _are_ still dangerous.”

            Harry blinked rapidly at that. Usually when Azkaban is brought up the mind always goes to a deatheater. It was rare for someone to be carted off that wasn’t involved in something to do with the war lately. He wondered what the people who had been in his house had done to get themselves locked up.

            “There was a woman, my guess the leader of the group, she said that this would teach your resistance movement not to interfere.”

            Draco stood up straighter as he shared a worried look with Harry. “You don’t think they contacted the others, do you?” His mind was flashing with scenes of their friends being harmed.

            “What others?” Lucius questioned as he shot a confused look with Severus.

            “Are you planning a resistance movement?” Narcissa asked curiously. “I think I still have my clothes from when I protested against the inclusion of Muggle Studies at my monthly Pureblood Wives Association club in my early twenties.”

            _“Mother.”_ Draco groaned in embarrassment. Harry grinned widely at Narcissa, wishing he could have been around to see that.

            “Draco.” Severus began with narrowed eyes. “Are you two attempting to save the world? Because I don’t have time for this. Grading papers is about all I can handle as of late.”           

            Sirius inhaled too quickly, which caused him to choke. “Was that a joke?” The thought of Snape making a joke was too out there for him to handle.

            Remus wrapped his arms around Severus’s waist and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “It could protect me in the process.” He pointed out. “Not to mention, I would be _eternally_ grateful and be indebted to you. I am at your _mercy_.”

            Severus had to fight the urge to not shiver at the suggestive tone. He looked to Draco and Harry. “How can we help?”

            Sirius snorted despite himself. Remus had Snape wrapped around his fingers.

            Draco didn’t even bother to hide his humor as he smirked at his godfather. “Nice of you to change your mind.” He saw the way black eyes flashed angrily and held up his hands in defense.

            “Alright, alright.” He rushed. “But get everyone else down here, might as well tell them to bring their pajamas, we will be here for a while.”

            “Especially when we bring up the Shaytan.” Harry pointed out just to see their reactions. Hoping one of them would faint.

            _“What?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you think?
> 
> I could have summarized, shortened or even glossed over healing Kreacher. It was long but it was necessary. Not only because it pushed me as a writer but because this chapter was really important. I needed to show you how serious the poison was. Not just that he was attacked but how deadly it all was. 
> 
> I honestly didn't think I would like a chapter as much as I did of yesterdays. But this one was kind of powerful. It showed bonding between characters, great care for Kreacher, Severus being a total baddass, Remus being his worrisome self, Narcissa being her lovable self, Sirius being completely confused and Lucius being supportive even though he doesn't really like Kreacher in the first place. 
> 
> Not going to lie. I had to do some research for this one. Some things I had to get a deeper meaning for or a better understanding of. 
> 
> So, the bit about silver and dittany healing werewolf wounds was true. It was on a few Harry Potter sites. Go figure. I had debated about having silver be a weakness for Remus but when it had been debunked by pottermore, I decided to not go against it. 
> 
> The Department the dead guy was in. I totally made that up. There were a few that sounded similar that I found online but nothing that quite fit. I think that it makes sense to have some kind of internal affairs. The Ministry is this massive place with so many people working for them. There would just have to be somebody on the inside to ensure corruption doesn't take place. Not that they are doing their jobs very well. 
> 
> Totally not commenting on the possible snake-human hybrid. Not going there. :P
> 
> Anybody else think it was sweet that Harry was all into doing the plan because Severus 'believed' in him? And then sad because the man was just bullshitting, not even sure if it would work. 
> 
> Combining muggle ideas with magic is fucking brilliant of the Venadere but deadly. The amount of purebloods that wouldn't be able to counterbalance that with their own knowledge is staggering. Just let that sink in. Lucius is right. They are smart. Which isn't a good thing. Not at all. 
> 
> I will answer your comments as soon as I can! I think that is all for now. 
> 
> Oh! I love you all! 
> 
> -XxTheDarkLordxX


	9. Fire Calls, Legends and Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORT OF WARNING- So, I did some research. (When am I not? God, I feel like that is all I ever do when it comes to writing.) And this chapter has some mythology in it. I don't want to say it is obscure but it kind of is. I guess if I lived in that region it wouldn't be obscure but to me it was. You guys might know all about it but I didn't. I had to choose my wording carefully with some things because of where the myths center from. It isn't like Greek mythology. A lot of what was said is widely believed in some cultures to this day. It is a part of their every day lives. You know me when it comes to history. I change that shit up constantly. So, please don't feel as if I am being insensitive in any way by changing up things. That is just what I do. 
> 
> So, it's been like seven-ish days since I last saw some of you. I haven't really had the motivation to write lately. At times it was almost like I had to force myself. Which isn't fun. I do this for fun. So, I had to wait until I could mentally be in a writing mood for this chapter. That being said, I did rather like the way it felt. Hopefully, that will mean I can write more. 
> 
> Not being in a writing mood did NOT stop ideas from forming. I have so many thoughts and ideas for oneshots and series but I have to restrain myself. I have too much on my plate as it is. It's like telling a kid that they can't have a cookie even though they have already eaten two (Or six but who's counting?). I had this dream about the most adorable oneshot ever. BUT you all know my abilities for time skips. It just isn't my thing. So I just know if I start it, it will be a fucking series. I just know it. So, I have to restrain myself. Even though the cute cuddly Harry in my mind is weeping at that. But I must be strong and finish my other Works in Progress. Sometimes life is a bitch. First world problems. 
> 
> I have ranted about nothing for too long. Enjoy the chapter! 
> 
> Enjoy!

            “I swear on all that is funny that this better be good.” Fred and George ground out as they stepped through the fireplace rubbing their tired eyes. They had been about to fall asleep when they were called over here.

            Remus looked to Narcissa in confusion and mouthed, ‘all that is funny?’

            “Your dress attire obviously isn’t.” Draco drawled as he leaned back against Harry’s chest and folded his hands on top of tan ones. He regarded the twins with distaste and had to force himself not to look away. Which was harder than anticipated.

            Harry arched a brow as he looked to their clothes. Merlin, was this for show? Or do they really sleep like this?

            “Is that a woman’s swimming costume?” Lucius asked as he covered his face with his hands. Partly in exasperation but also because he was _not_ going to look at them for much longer. Salazar, what a disturbing sight.

            “No.” They both argued with pointed glares, clearly offended by the question.

            “I never wanted to see this much skin from either of you. _Ever_.” Severus complained. The bottom was leaving nothing to the imagination and that was a horribly sickening thought. Despite their denials, that was exactly what it looked like. It resembled something that women typically wear when going swimming. Both the top and bottom were a plaid of blue and red, which had their hair clashing as the two similar colors didn’t mesh well.

            “I am pretty sure Pansy has knickers longer than those bottoms.” Draco pointed out as his resolve cracked and he looked away. The sight alone was making him wonder what they were thinking and wish they had stayed at home.

            “How uncouth of you to be speaking of a ladies’ private garments.” Pansy chided with a grin as she fully stepped into the room, only to stop immediately at the sight of Fred and George.

            Blaise scowled when he nearly tripped over Pansy. “Why did you pause? A little warning would have been nice.” He looked over her head and blinked rapidly for a moment.

            “You know, I think we may have gotten the wrong house.” He took a step back and grabbed Pansy’s hand.

            “Yeah.” She agreed with furrowed brows. “ _Completely_ wrong house. Must have been trying to reach the neighbors. If you’ll excuse us.” Pansy did a half curtsy before walking backwards towards the floo.

            “Not so fast.” Severus commanded harshly. “Get over here and cover them up.”

            Pansy and Blaise sighed heavily before they walked to their respective partners.

            “Despite the label saying, ‘acceptable for all scenes’, that didn’t mean in a public setting like this.” Pansy whispered lowly so that no one could hear her.

            Remus closed his eyes painfully as an overload of too much information assaulted his brain at that. Would it kill them to remember that he can _hear_ them?

            “Are you alright?” Severus asked quietly as he eyed his lover in concern. “What did they say?”

            “You don’t want to know.” Remus emphatically replied. “I wish I didn’t know.”

            Severus curled his mouth in distaste as the quartet seemed to be arguing with each other. He didn’t want to see them let alone know what it was about so he just nodded his head.

            “I think we look great.” Fred argued. “It’s a night look.”

            “Yes, but not one other people tend to want to see in polite company.” Blaise pointed out. “If it were Harry and Draco wearing it, wouldn’t you want them to put on more clothes?”

            “No.” Fred and Pansy said at the same time before sharing a high five.

            George hummed in thought as he shared an exasperated look with Blaise. “Alright. We’ll put on more clothes.”

            “Oh, thank god.” Everyone in the room said as one.

            Fred glared at his brother but followed along when they transfigured a rug that had been tossed to the side, into robes that they could put over their clothes.

            “Should we tell them that Kreacher bled on that?” Harry whispered to Draco.

            “I promise _extreme_ pain if you do.” Lucius whispered as he swirled around to eye Harry. “They can take a shower and wash off the blood. I can’t burn out my retinas to erase the horror that I have witnessed.”

            “An obliviate might do it justice.” Draco retorted with a smirk. He wasn’t a fan of the outfit either but the fact that it was messing with his father this bad made it worth it.

            “You know, I didn’t miss you. Not even a little.”

            Harry and Draco threw their heads back and laughed loudly.

            “We missed you too, Lucius.” Harry said through chuckles.

            “Hey!” Pansy nearly shrieked, causing everyone to look at her in alarm. “What’s wrong with Kreacher?” She eyed the poor elf that was in a sleeping stasis and was confused as to what had happened.

            Severus sighed heavily. “Shows how well you pay attention to your surroundings.” He shook his head as he began filling them in on what had happened.

            “The _Venadere_ were here?” Blaise bit his lip as he thought of Abigail and how they had killed her father. What would have happened if Harry and Draco had been here? Would they have been able to fight them off? Or would they be right next to Kreacher too?

            “Do you think it was the same ones that killed Bernard?” Pansy asked Remus.

            “Who?” Harry and Draco asked in confusion. They hadn’t ever met anyone by that name.

            Remus winced at the thought of explaining all of that again. The emotional conversation was barely manageable the one time. He cut to the short notes and glossed over other some bits. But he did explain what had been done to Abigail and Bernard.

            Draco inhaled sharply. “Harry…” He trailed off as he turned in his husband’s arm. “Doesn't Abigail remind you of anyone?”

            Harry had already come to the same conclusion and just nodded as the bond filled with a mixture of worry for his friends and also curiosity to all of this.

            “Excuse us.” Draco mumbled, ignoring the other looks as he pulled Harry along towards the fireplace near the quartet. After telling them to move, he threw in powder and hoped that the international floo wait period wouldn’t take too long.

            “Snámh?” Several people said in interest when Draco’s declaration of the destination reached their ears.

            “Oo.” Blaise blinked rapidly. “You didn’t happen to see Sean, did you?”

            “Sean?” Fred asked with pinched brows. “Who’s that?”

            Draco grinned wickedly as he waited for the connection to go through. “Sean is an ex-boyfriend of our dear Blaise.”

            Blaise winced before looking to Fred a little sheepishly. “I never brought him up because he was less of a boyfriend and more of a pen pal.” He shot Draco’s back a heated glare.

            Fred narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “I don’t know.” He hedged with a dramatic tone, as if this was a giant conspiracy. “George what do you think?”

            “I think he harbors an undying love for the Irish man and is only with you because you look like a larger version of the Leprechaun form.”

            Harry clutched his side as he attempted to hold in his laughter. Draco was more amused by Harry’s humor than the answer itself. He watched his soulmate completely lose it and loved every moment of it. Anytime he got to see the brunette like this was always a favorite of his.

            Pansy smacked her boyfriend on the arm as her lips twitched. “Despite the accurate description.” She paused to snort. “Blaise is right. They were too far apart to be anything. They only saw each other the one time.”

            “I don’t know if I should be offended by your description, but that would make you a Leprechaun too.” Fred pointed out.

            “Fred.” George sighed in disappointment. “I can pull off any look. Whether it be _tasteful_ sleepwear or looking like a taller version of a Leprechaun.”

            “Which means I can pull it off too.”

            “I _never_ said that.”

            Luckily, the whoosh of the fire call connecting sounded, cutting off whatever Fred might have argued back with.

            A bored but recognizable face popped up in the fire.

            “Thank you for contacting Snámh Fire Call Tourist Center. Where all questions are welcome and we value your input. Should you have any issues or complaints, direct that back to your own fragile ego because we don’t care.”

            Draco snickered at the last bit. “Joseph? What are you doing?”

            Joseph sprang to attention at the sound of his name and eyed the fire in a dazed fashion before yelling for his friends in the adjacent room.

            “I have never been more thankful to see the two of you.” He admitted with such feeling that it worried Harry and Draco, even a few listeners as well.

            “Why? What’s wrong?”

            “What’s wrong?” Joseph scoffed. “I have been reduced to _this_.” He gestured between them. “So, I said one _tiny_ nearly miniscule insult to someone _ages_ ago and I am assigned to be bored off my ass for eternity.”

            “Yes, because two hours is _so_ long ago.” Pyotr piped up in the distance with heavy sarcasm. “Honestly, your perception of time is concerning.”

            “It wasn’t just anyone, love.” Cian corrected. “It was the leader of the village.”

            “Yeah.” Jake and Blake said in unison. “Plus, it wasn’t tiny. You asked him if a dementor had crawled up his ass and caused his pessimistic and depressing outlook on life.”

            A slightly choked laughter came from behind Harry and Draco but they didn’t turn around to investigate.

            “How was I supposed to know he was the leader of the village?”

            Five heavily resigned sighs could be heard through the call and it had Harry and Draco grinning widely.

            “Who are you talking to?” Kenny asked with slight disapproval. “You called us away from our work.”

            “Your big ass is blocking my view.” Jake piped up.

            Joseph tilted his head to the side. “I think I will take that as a compliment.”

            “It is a nice view.” Cian noted in appreciation.

            “That’s it.” Blake complained. “I’m going back to the room.”

            “No! Wait!” Harry and Draco called out.

            There was a pregnant pause as everyone on the other end clearly recognized them, before chaos ensued.

            “Ow! Fuck!” Joseph swore as he was shoved into the wall of the fireplace.

            “Well move that giant butt and I wouldn’t have shoved you.” Blake panted as he tried to peer into the fire.

            “Move it.” Jake elbowed the both of them. “Make way for someone important.”

            “That obviously isn’t you.” Cian observed as he took up residence next to Joseph who was attempting to make it away from the wall, where Blake was holding him.

            “I can’t stand any of you.” Pyotr announced as he grabbed Jake and Blake by the back of their robes and hoisted them to the side.

            “That’s cheating!” The two cousins yelled angrily. “Kenny, tell him that isn’t allowed.”

            “Oh, hush it.” Kenny told them with a smile. “If we just remain calm, we can all manage to find a way that suits everyone.”

            “Can it Mister Positivity and optimistic views of the sun shining everywhere, if we all just hold hands and sing together.” Joseph argued as he was finally free. When Pyotr snarled at him with his teeth barred, he rolled his eyes.

            “Go ahead and bite me. I want to feel those fangs.” He fluttered his eyelashes flirtatiously.

            Pyotr sighed. “One of these days I am going to do it and we will see what your werewolf blood thinks of that.”

            “That actually raises some questions.” Cian pondered. “Technically, his blood in any bite, wound or open orifice could potentially turn a person. Would his blood in your mouth have an effect? Would you be risking yourself just as much as you risk him? Would the risk be worth it?”

            Joseph rolled his eyes. “Babe, I love you but right now isn’t the time for a debate. He won’t ever bite me. Because he is too afraid.” The last was stage whispered as he shot a wink towards the irate vampire. Smirking when another snarl was his response.

            “Guys.” Harry interrupted as he shook his head. They were always quite the rowdy bunch.

            His voice instigated more shoving, fighting and kicks but eventually died down when Cian recommended that Joseph enlarge the fireplace enough that they could all fit.

            “So, how’s our favorite soulmate duo?” Jake and Blake asked with matching grins.

            Lucius and Severus shared a worried look at that. It wasn’t wise for other people to know of their status.

            “Not very good.” Draco began with a wince. “The _Venadere_ stopped by our house while we were gone.”

            _“What?”_ Six flabbergasted voices asked.

            “Are you alright?” Kenny asked in concern as he tried to see any open wounds on their faces.

            “We’re fine.” Harry told him kindly. “Our house elf was attacked and almost died though.”

            “Almost?” Pyotr asked in surprise. “They aren’t ones for leaving anyone behind. Especially a Magical Being.”

            “Well, my snake said the attacker was snake-like but didn’t speak their language. Some kind of hybrid.”

            The rest of the group in Snámh shared confused and slightly uneasy looks. “I saw a being a _long_ time ago that reminded me of the rumors of Nagas but nothing of the sort was ever established.” Pyotr stated as he sighed in frustration.

            Kenny blinked rapidly as he tried to recall any hybrid recently that would be human but also snake-like.

            Jake and Blake let out low whistles as they looked at each other, drawing attention to them.

            “What did it look like? Was there more than one color visible or just a single solid hue? The human features that could be seen, were they fully human or have snake-like features mixed in? If it was say half-and-half, then was it completely the two different sides just meeting in the middle? Or was it comingled throughout the whole body? I guess what I am asking is if the body was a snake and the head a human, did the head only resemble a human? Or did it have snake-like eyes or even a tongue? Were the features combined in that aspect or separate?” Blake asked with narrowed eyes but completely serious.

            Harry and Draco blinked rapidly at the onslaught of questions that they didn’t know the answers to. Before they cold respond, Jake spoke up.

           “Did it speak a different language? Were there odd sounds or any type of diction that could be heard? Any enunciation on key phrases of the other language? When it attacked, did it do so with intent or just animalistic behavior? Was it acting on instinct or was there an intelligence of morality present? Did it _know_ what it was doing?” Jake asked as a _very_ serious look graced his face, which startled his friends.

            Harry and Draco may not know Jake or Blake very well but they did know that they hadn’t seen the two this intense at all. Jokes were usually their thing.

            It took a few tries before they were able to get _all_ of those questions to Sephtis and to have a somewhat cohesive response.

            “Sephtis said that there _was_ a language but not one that he recognized. It is hard for him to separate any enunciation on the language. He described it as if one didn’t know his own language. It was hissing but not in a legible way that made sense to him.” Harry hoped that made sense.

            “Who was the hybrid speaking to?” Blake asked as his eyes narrowed further. “Were there more than one?”

            “No.” Draco said as Sephtis spoke. “It was alone and seemed to either be speaking to itself _or_ someone in the _Venadere_ understood them but didn’t speak.”

            Everyone startled when the pair started babbling in another language. Draco furrowed his brows as his spells to translate foreign languages seemed to be faulty. He reapplied them, thinking that it was the stress of the day that had caused them to stop working. But when it _still_ didn’t work, he looked into the fire, hoping to see any if any of the others understood what was going on.

            Fred and George shared a look at that. They may not understand what exactly the people were saying but they recognized what it was on the surface.

            Remus furrowed his brows. “Cryptophasia?”

            “No.” Severus disagreed with a whisper. “Well, maybe. That’s when twins create their own language. I don’t know if they are twins or not.” It was hard to decipher anything through the fire. For all he knew, they were twins. “If they aren’t, then I think it just might be Idioglossia. Although, I suppose the argument could be made that Cryptophasia is a form of Idioglossia.”

            Remus listened to his lover speak with a fond expression. He loved the way the man could teach just about anything.

            “What of the appearance?” Jake asked, not taking his eyes of his cousin.

            Harry furrowed his brows when Sephtis couldn’t give much insight. “Sirius, the appearance, did you see any distinctive features, colors or shapes? Sephtis doesn’t see color quite like we do.”

            Sirius blew out a breath as he tried imagining what little he could recall, it had been dark with no candles lit in the room. “It had the body of a snake, arms of a human and the head of… both.” He paused as he scrunched up his nose. “Kind of. It was a weird jumbled mess of both human and snake. It wasn’t like the tales of a Naga. Nagas were always whispered to have the body of a snake and the top portion was a human. This was different. The face was some kind of combination. Snake eyes, human ears, I don’t think there was a nose but I can’t be sure. No hair, definitely forked tongue, the neck was kind of weird and maybe boneless? It was dark.” The last bit was said a little defensively as he tried to remember it all.

            “Was there a _color_?” Jake emphasized impatiently.

            “Yes.” Sirius nodded firmly. “A whole lot of colors. Almost like a…”

            “Rainbow.” Jake and Blake said with Sirius, only with slight fear.

            “What’s going on?” Harry, Draco, Joseph, Cian, Kenny, Pyotr and Joseph said at the same time.

            “Have you ever heard of something called the _Dumedium_?” Blake asked as his eyes were still locked onto his cousin.

            Pyotr narrowed his eyes in thought as everyone replied in the negative.

            “In Australia, where we are from, there is a legend of sorts. Muggles tend to call it a number of different things. One of the more popular versions is the Rainbow Serpent.” Jake explained.

            “It derives from the Aboriginal Australian mythological beliefs. They have a lot of different deities or gods that they believe in. _Dumedium_ are Magical Beings that haven’t been seen outside of their region in a _long_ time. So long, that the Muggle legends are all that is really known of them. They aren’t apart of wizard society nor do they mingle or leave their land. They have their own magic and don’t deal with wands or anything wizard made.” Blake looked back into the fire.

            “The Rainbow Serpent title came from the belief that the true shapes of snakes are represented in the shape of a rainbow. When a rainbow is seen in the sky, it is said that that the Rainbow Serpent is moving from one waterhole to another. Some believed that this would explain why some waterholes never dried up during droughts, it was the gods bringing the importance of water to human lives. There are _several_ different types of Rainbow Serpents spread throughout the mythologies. Some are revolved around power and what happens when they are angry.” Jake looked to his cousin briefly before continuing.

            “There are some myths that depict them as healers or even deities that reside over fertility. But those same ones also describe what happens when pushed negatively. They can use the rain they so treasure as a weapon and cause floods, thunderstorms and even attack with lightening.” He shrugged as he considered the validity to the myth.

            “There is one myth that stated a certain Rainbow Serpent named Galeru, swallowed the Djanggawul, who symbolized the continuation of life on Earth. They say the myth predicts what can happen if the evil of the world takes over, suggesting that the continuation of life will cease to exist.”

            Blake arched a brow when Harry and Draco snapped their heads towards each other.

            “Metaphorically speaking, that is.” Jake and Blake said as one when the duo continued to stare at each other.

            “There isn’t much truth to voice to the myths since so little is actually known about them. Some say they are male and some say female. It is hard to say for sure if there are set genders or if they are androgynous altogether. The hard part to it all is the lack of information out there. What is myth and what isn’t?” Blake sighed heavily as he looked to the floor.

            “There were a few magical sightings of the _Dumedium_ throughout Australian lore but not all sources are credible. Some suggest that the lore’s of the _Dumedium_ may have even spread into what the whispers of the Naga are. There is no proof of Nagas either. It _could_ be possible that Nagas aren’t real and that they were just sightings of the _Dumedium_ , but there isn’t anything to disprove that either.” Jake shrugged unhelpfully.

            “I don’t want to say that it is just a myth like with muggles but it is more of a belief that they exist. It isn’t just whispers like the Nagas. There is compelling evidence around to show that the _Dumedium_ once existed. It is believed that they died out thousands of years ago but a lot of wizards in Australia disagree.”

            Harry wasn’t sure what this all meant. It turned from what was once thought of as a Magical Being working with the _Venadere_ , to whatever this was now. Was this another puzzle to the already confusing problem of the world? Did the _Dumedium_ play a role in what was to happen? Was it as the myth suggested? Would the _Dumedium_ bring the continuation to the Earth to an end?

            “Have you ever seen one?” Draco asked curiously as he tried to soothe Harry’s worried and frustrated feelings with a rush of soothing calm. He ran his fingers up and down his lover’s arm, knowing that touch would help too.

            “No.” The cousins answered together. “Although, our fathers believe they exist. They never said _why_ but they were adamant that the _Demedium_ are real.”

            “I don’t know what this will mean for us or what we will do about getting rid of the _Venadere_.” Harry admitted with a frown.

            “Speaking of the _Venadere_.” Kenny added with his own frown. “Earlier, I was accosted by a group of renegades. They once belonged to the Dwarf Costa Nostra but partake in their own lawless actions.”

            Harry and Draco winced, remembering their run in with the Costa Nostra. They may not have faced renegades but it was still a bad memory.

            “Are you alright?” Draco asked as he tried to see any wounds.

            “Yes.” Kenny smiled gratefully. “We took care of them. But they were hired by the _Venadere_. They know we are working against them.”

            Draco hummed in thought as he looked to Harry. “That could explain why they came for us too. If they went for them too, then it would explain why they attacked here. They probably expected we would be here.”

            “But that doesn’t make sense.” Harry argued. “If they know that we are helping, then that would mean that we were _seen_. If we were seen that would mean they knew we weren’t home. Why show up to an empty house?”

            “To make a statement.” Lucius spoke up knowingly. “It is a common tactic, one that the Dark Lord employed. Not all raids were done with victims inside. I believe that they didn’t count on a house elf being here.”

            Draco looked to his father as he considered the truth to that. “But what kind of statement does it show?”

            “That they are everywhere.” Severus explained with pinched brows. “They came through a closed and private fireplace by using Ministry approval. That in of itself is a message. They want to show that they are more powerful than originally believed. You not being here was strategic, showing you that you have to worry at all times and that nothing is really safe.”

            Worry, dread and fear filled the bond as Harry leaned up against Draco, needing the feel of his husband’s body to ground him.    

            Narcissa narrowed her eyes. “You have a leak in your resistance movement.”

            _“What?”_ Harry and Draco asked horrified at the same time their friends uttered the same.

            Lucius and Severus shared a look. “It makes sense.” Remus piped up as he shot them a sad look.

            “You said it yourself” He continued when they seemed confused. “You were watched. You didn’t even tell any of us that you were a part of some resistance movement. If _they_ knew then that means someone inside your movement is working for the other side.”

            There was a horrible silence as Remus’ words were replayed in their minds. Harry bit his lip, he knew without a doubt that it wasn’t one of their friends. There wasn’t much he was certain about with the whole situation but trusting his friends? That he _was_ certain of.

            “Cian, I don’t want to offend you.” Draco began hesitantly. “But the resistance movement is pretty much in your village. Is it possible that someone there may have told them anything?”

            Cian shared a look with everyone on his end. “I don’t believe so. It isn’t because this is my home but more because of all the effort everyone has been making for this movement.”

            “Not just that.” Pyotr added when it seemed that Harry and Draco were still unsure. “You need to keep in mind that this movement isn’t just inside the village. Cian just got back from speaking to the Goblin Council. That makes nearly all of the major councils agreeing to go to the international conference of the councils.”

            Remus let out a low whistle at that as he tried picturing just what kind of hard work that would take. What amazed him was that he hadn’t even known that there was a movement going to all this trouble to speak against the _Venadere_. It was silent but powerful.

            “Yes, but we weren’t there for that. We were only seen in Snámh for the few hours we were there. I didn’t see anyone but the Leprechauns.” Draco tried to keep his voice in a calm but unsuspecting manner. He didn’t want Cian to think he was pointing fingers but he was being realistic. There had only been Leprechauns there. If there was a leak in the movement then it was only logical to think it was a Leprechaun.

            Lucius blinked as he let out a breathy exclamation. “That’s what they want.” He whispered slowly. “They want you to question it like this. If you only look at the visible evidence then it would lead to a quarrel with the Leprechauns. It would be dismantling your movement with just simple suspicious rumors. It’s brilliant.” If he wasn’t on the side that would no doubt be fighting the _Venadere_ then he would really admire their take on all of this. They were incredibly smart. Not just smart but devious too. They knew how to use their intelligence in deadly ways. Something the Dark Lord had been lacking. If the man had taken a silent approach to his own movement, he would have won. No doubt about that.

            It was overwhelming. All of this was showing Harry that they were possibly out of their league. It was obvious that the _Venadere_ were experts in some serious espionage and had the means to be deadly.

            “Harry.” Draco bit his lip as he thought of something. “If we go by that logic and they _don’t_ have someone on the inside and they had managed to find a way to watch us when we went to Snámh, then they know we are soulmates.”

            Harry sucked in a sharp breath as he thought of the ramifications of that.

            “Is that a bad thing though?” Pansy asked quietly. “It isn’t as if they can harm you any worse with that knowledge. They are coming after you either way. You aren’t even susceptible to other magic that would trap those who aren’t soulmates.”

            The duo shared a look as they thought of the Shaytan. Being soulmates hadn’t stopped them from being duped anyways. Sure, it wasn’t by normal means but it had still worked. If the _Venadere_ did know they were soulmates, they might find an unconventional way to attack.

            “The information could be made public.” Severus pointed out with narrowed eyes. “The spotlight would be on the two of them, leaving the _Venadere_ more wiggle room to keep their attacks unpublished. It would be using you as a distraction method. The Ministry would have a field day trying to cover it all up or they would make statements to address _why_ they have kept the knowledge of soulmates hidden to those who didn’t know. The outcry of angry wizards would keep the papers flooded for _many_ months to come.”

            “Not just that.” Pyotr added in his own thoughts. “The announcement of the first soulmates in centuries would bring global attention. Not just in England. It would be everywhere. It really would be a distraction. With the non-coverage that is already happening, this would be free reign for them to continue on without fear of being caught.”

            “Leaving our movement strained as you two would be bombarded with the public spotlight.” Cian added with a heavy sigh.

            “Fuck.” Draco swore as he didn’t like the sound of any of this.

            “But that’s only if they _know_ we are soulmates.” Harry reminded him. “If they were just watching and don’t have someone on the inside, then they might not know we are soulmates. Magical Beings are the ones that detect things like that.”

            “So many ifs or maybes though.” Draco argued pessimistically. “I just wish we knew the facts and weren’t just speculating about all of this.” It was frustrating not knowing what the _Venadere_ were thinking or doing. It made all of this more stressful. The waiting was hard too, if they were going to be outed as soulmates, wouldn’t it be better to be ahead of it? Instead of being seen as if they had been hiding it? But if the _Venadere_ truly didn’t know about their status then admitting it would get the global attention anyways.

            “We are going to have tighten security.” Cian spoke to the group on his end. “If there is a leak then I want it found.” It was obvious to everyone that he was taking the possibility of someone from his village betraying them hard.

            Joseph reached over and placed a gentle kiss to the man’s temple. “You know I’ll help you.”

            “Only because you don’t want to do Floo call duty.” Jake mumbled under his breath as he dodged the kick aimed his way by the werewolf.

            “That’s just a bonus.” Joseph quipped back fondly.

            Draco rolled his eyes at their antics before he suddenly remembered the main reason he had firecalled them.

            “Joseph.”

            The werewolf snapped his gaze back towards the fire at the serious tone.

            “Hypothetically, what would your council do with the knowledge of another child born from an Original werewolf and a human partner?”

            “Another?” Remus whispered in surprise. He had been counting on Harry’s friend to help put in a good word with the council, he didn’t even almost consider that there would be another one. It was rare for Originals to sleep with someone who wasn’t another Original, since the council wanted them to keep to themselves.

            Joseph blinked rapidly as he stared into the fire, almost not believing the question.

            “Really?” He whispered. “They wouldn’t be ecstatic but they wouldn’t be angry either.” Joseph tilted his head back and forth. “I guarantee that they already know though. Hiding a heritage like that from the council is nearly impossible.” He gestured with his hands as if to say, ‘just look at me’.

            “The council knows of her.” Remus interrupted. “She is eleven and under my care. The _Venadere_ killed her human father. They think she died during a raid. Even the Ministry has her on their death records.”

            “Something that would be an added bonus to the council.” Joseph remarked as he narrowed his eyes. “She wouldn’t be able to stay in England for long.” He told them a little regrettably. “There is a lot of things that she would need to be taught. It took me _ages_ to master all of my abilities and that was being trained early on after my mother’s death. A normal werewolf can’t teach her the things that the council will expect of her.”

            Remus and Severus shared a look. They were a little surprised that their friend was just like Abigail. It would make things both easier and harder.

            “How long can she stay? She was just enrolled in school.” Severus asked as he felt a weird pang at that. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t known that she couldn’t stick around but he didn’t like the idea of Abigail leaving already. Which bothered him. Since when had he grown to care for the girl? She was a little nuisance like the quartet.

            “It is hard to say.” Joseph hedged. “With everything that is going on with the _Venadere_ , it could go both ways. Either they will be too distracted to care about getting her immediately trained. _Or_ with the threat of the _Venadere_ , they may want to get her trained right away to help out.” He bit his lip as he regarded Harry and Draco seriously.

            “Alright.” Joseph came to a decision. “You two fire called me to talk about the _Venadere_ and **only** the _Venadere._ I was never asked about anything hypothetical nor do I know anything about hybrid werewolves inside of England. If pressed for details, I will admit having been on the receiving end of an obliviate and can’t recall a single thing regarding this at all. Should the council get a whiff of her and come looking, then I will most likely be the one called to come get her. I trained Jasmerine and I know they will want me to train any future hybrid werewolves as well. I will let you know in advance and provide you the longest time possible with her but know that this is temporary. She _will_ have to be trained so please don’t think this is a free pass. Spend time with her and appreciate what I am doing because the council could take her in a heartbeat if they wished.”

            “Thank you.” Remus said with feeling. He never got a chance to know Abigail due to everything that had happened with Bernard but he would love any time that he got to get to know the person that Abigail had become.

            “Don’t thank me, thank Harry.” Joseph corrected. “I am doing this because he loves you and considers you a parent. If you are his family then I will treat you as if you were mine.”

            Remus blinked rapidly as he tried to blink away wetness as he looked to his now embarrassed cub.

            Harry bit his lip as he looked down at the ground. He felt a nudge from Draco and got up to hug Remus.

           “You don’t need to thank me.” Harry whispered from the embrace of Remus’ strong grip on him. Hugs like this were nonexistent during his childhood. It was nice having someone who meant so much to him embrace him like this. It made him feel as if Remus could really have been a parental figure if things had turned out differently. Even if the hug was a little tighter than most.

            “I will thank you anyways.” Remus whispered as tightened his hold on the young man. This had been what he had been searching for all those years as he wandered from one pack to the next. Family. Harry had always been considered apart of his pack and it felt right to have him close. He wished things could have been different. He would have taken care of Harry to the best of his abilities if he had been given the chance. If he could’ve just proven to Dumbledore and the Ministry that he was capable of raising Harry, then so much could have been different.

            Draco sighed a little sappily as he drank in Harry’s emotions. This was something he would never get used to.

            “You didn’t even say anything and I already feel as if it was sappy.” Joseph grumbled, drawing Draco’s attention back to his friend.

            “It was.” Draco admitted with a grin at the eye roll the werewolf released. “Thank you.” It wasn’t just what Joseph was doing for them that he was thanking him for but also for what had been said.

            “Don’t worry about it.” It was obvious that Joseph was embarrassed by being so uncharacteristically nice.

            “That right there is why I am friends with you.” Pyotr told the werewolf with an approving nod.

            Joseph’s eyes widened. “You said something nice to me.” He whispered with a dramatic gasp. “Either it’s the end of the world or you are joking. I think I am okay with either option.” He paused as he scrunched up his nose. “Although, I don’t think I have ever heard you tell a legitimate joke.”

            “And the moment is gone.” Pyotr sighed heavily. “I really don’t know why I put up with you. Because it sure as hell isn’t the company.”

            “My winning personality and gorgeous looks.”

            “That isn’t it.” The rebuttal came back firmly.

            “You secretly wish you were me.”

            “You are delusional. Absolutely mental.”

            Kenny cleared his throat as he shook his head fondly at the both of them. He looked to Draco. “We will secure things on our end and let you know if we discover anything. Please keep in touch.”

            Draco promised he would and bade them all goodbye. He cracked his neck muscles as he stood up and stretched.

            “Can I have my husband back?” He drawled as he stood next to Harry. “You are crushing his bones but he is too nice to say anything about it.” Draco smirked at the way Remus pinked up slightly.

            Harry smacked Draco’s arm as he was released from the hug.

            “Don’t hit me, he isn’t the one who has to feel your pain.”

            At Remus’ contrite expression Harry shook his head. “It wasn’t bad. You just have more strength then I am used to.”

            “I rather like his strength.” Severus remarked as he pulled his lover to him. “Quite useful.”

            “Oh god.” Fred and George grumbled as they held their stomachs. “That was sexual, wasn’t it?”

            “I think my dinner is going to come back up.” Pansy complained as Blaise nodded along.

            Lucius scoffed harshly. “ _That_ is disgusting to you but yet you wore that horrible eyesore here? Delusional.”

            Harry and Draco were reminded slightly of the way their friends from Singapore behave. Lucius and Severus had an interesting relationship with the quartet. Both sides not knowing why they put up with other.

            “It isn’t our fault that you are too prude to appreciate beauty.” Fred said haughtily.

            “You call that beauty?” Severus deadpanned as he shared a look with Lucius. Merlin were all Weasleys this mental, or was it just these two?

            Before anyone could say anything, a low groan and a pained moan was heard.

            Harry snapped his gaze up as large clouded eyes locked onto his own.

            “Master Harry.” The elf coughed out as a spray of blood came out. “Kreacher is so sorry.” That was all he got out before he collapsed back into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quite a few things here. If you are confused on some things, let me know. 
> 
> If you look back to when we first met Jake and Blake, I did say they were Australian. There are nearly always reasons layered in reasons for simple things I write. Connections that might not seem significant but will eventually explain other things. The myths I mentioned come from the Aboriginal Australians that were indigenous to their area and land. They strongly believe in a lot of things that we might not. Again, I do not aim to offend anyone. Side note, there is a festival held every year in Australia that is called The Rainbow Serpent Festival. It is a four day long festival that houses costumes, electronic music and many times a lot of fucking drugs. If it hadn't been planned a head of time, I might have changed the route I had gone with the Rainbow Serpents solely on the fact that there is a festival dedicated to it. I did not know that until recently. I chose to push that aside and focus on the legends themselves. 
> 
> Idioglossia is an idiosyncratic language invented and spoken by only one person or very few people. It us most common in children who are exposed to multiple languages as a kid. It tends to go away as they get older and are better able to understand the different languages being taught to them. But twins can experience a form of this and that is what Jake and Blake were doing. It was their own language that only they know.
> 
> Swimming costume is a bathing suit. I could have just said that but it seemed no different than saying trousers or trainers since it is a British term. *Shrugs* The outfit wasn't really a bathing suit. But it looked like one, kind of. I wish I could show you what was in my mind. 
> 
> The teeny tiny comment made in passing that hinted at the quartet's clothes being acceptable in most scenes is the extent of any kind of BDSM I will ever do. Not because I dislike that but more because I am lazy as fuck. If I am going to do something, then I would like to know what I am talking about and entering into the writing of BDSM takes some in depth knowledge and research. Nothing is worse than reading a BDSM story that is completely inaccurate and doesn't do that type of world justice. Again, I am lazy as fuck. I don't have time to research all that to know what I am talking about. I will stick to boring vanilla until I miraculously become un-lazy. Also, I will leave whatever the fuck they do in private up to your imagination. Just know they don't do it as a foursome. They may be called the quartet but it is separate relationships. 
> 
> I had made the comment in the last installment about Abigail sounding familiar to someone else and no one really said anything about it. So, I just assumed that it was either obvious or you guys had no idea what I was trying to hint at. But yes, Abigail is like Joseph. Technically, there aren't hybrid werewolves in their world but since they are unique, they would technically be hybrids, Joseph kind of explained that the first time they met. He can also do the things she can where she can manipulate parts of her wolf outside of the full moon. Again, this was all said the first time they met in Singapore. I think I need to be less subtle with my foreshadowing. Here is what I said in the legit chapter, '“Do you know of any other werewolves that had one Original parent and one human parent?” Abigail asked with a frown. She rather liked Remus and didn’t want to go somewhere else.' Like... that is Joseph. But when no one said anything, I just kind of shrugged. 
> 
> All the things that the Venadere may or may not do is still kind of scary. Like man, they are freaking smart. Not just smart but scary smart. Knowledge can be a weapon when used correctly. They are proof of that. 
> 
> I think that is all. I sincerely regret not replying to the comments after the last chapters. Because now I have about fifty to reply to for just this story. I will do that right after this is posted. Which will take me probably over an hour. I hate being a lazy procrastinator sometimes. Not enough to change my ways but enough to complain about it. ;P
> 
> Let me know any thoughts and I will see you soon! 
> 
> -XxTheDarkLordxX


	10. Whirlwind of Emotions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to start off by apologizing for the wait. I have never had such a long wait in between posting chapters. I have been going through horrible fatigue and a lack of motivation. I would like to thank rmh8402 for helping me keep my sanity during this. Conversations go a long way with me and it was definitely needed. Also rieraclaelin, don't think you are reading this story but if so, thank you for the emails as well. A double also, Hpchik17 thank you for reaching out to me with your concerns of this story becoming abandoned. It was also motivation to keep me going. Because no, I am not giving up on any of my stories. I am just trying to push past whatever is affecting me. 
> 
> It was hard because my own body has been split. Meaning, my mind is full of ideas and wanting to go ahead but my body just won't cooperate. I had to only write a little bit at a time each day and that really sucked for me. I am used to being able to write thousands of words in one sitting. 
> 
> There aren't any warnings for this chapter other than you might want to get some tissues ready. You all know that I am just a big blubbering baby, so tissues might not even be necessary for you guys. The sad stuff is only at the end of the chapter. No, it's not a cliffhanger. But it did affect me.

            Both Harry and Draco sprang into action, moving towards Kreacher in a hurry, both worried that something was wrong.

            Severus stepped over and withdrew his wand, running several diagnostic spells. “There is blood outside of the lungs and airways, that’s why he is coughing it all up.”

            “Is that easily fixable?” Harry asked, peering down at Kreacher’s still body. The poor elf didn’t deserve this. He just wished that he could make it all okay again.

            “Yes.” Severus answered, pulling out a few vials. “Compared to the poison, this is nothing.”

            Draco watched his godfather combine different vials before giving them to Kreacher, thankful that the man was here. He wasn’t sure they would have been able to do half the things Severus had for Kreacher.

            “When will he wake up?” Questioned Draco with a concerned frown.

            “I can’t be certain.” Severus mused as he gave the elf the necessary medicine. “He shouldn’t have woken up now but it would seem that his pain was overriding the sleeping stasis I had placed him in.”

            Harry was worried about why Kreacher had been apologizing. The elf hadn’t done anything wrong, so what was he apologizing for?

            Kreacher appeared to be peaceful in his sleep but Draco knew that the poor elf was in pain. It angered him that the _Venadere_ had done this. If they wanted a fight then they shouldn’t be cowards and go for the ones they care about. They didn’t need to harm Kreacher to get their point across. It infuriated him that it had come to this. Salazar, he was sick of the mysteries, sick of the conspiracies and sick of the behind the scenes methods being done. Couldn’t the stupid organization just be upfront? It would make all of this easier to bear. It would make all of this easier to fight against.

            The anger in the bond wasn’t surprising, Harry was angry himself but he didn’t want Draco’s magic to act out again. He pulled his husband into his arms and kissed the blonde’s cheek.

            “I know.” He didn’t bother attempting to manipulate Draco’s emotions. Didn’t bother trying to appease his lover. Words weren’t necessary. Trying to change anything would have a negative impact.

            The easy support and acceptance from Harry had Draco smiling softly as he buried his face into a tanned neck. He knew that Harry understood what was going on with him and words weren’t needed.

            Remus sat down on the nearest chair and watched Harry and Draco with sad eyes. He wished things were different and the world wasn’t always on their shoulders.

            “What made you interested in a resistance movement?” Fred asked curiously as he thought about all of the things he had overheard and the stuff that was explained to him. “It sounds like a complicated mess. With everything that happened with the Flamels and the stone, wouldn’t you want to lay low?

            Harry snorted in amusement. It was slightly resigned but he couldn’t hold back. “Fred, when have I ever _not_ been in the middle of something complicated?”

            The question itself was amusing to George, knowing that Harry was right. If it was dangerous, worthwhile or just the right thing to do, Harry would be there. Most likely reluctant, pouting and resigned, but there nonetheless. It was something that was just a given. Something that he had grown to love about his friend.

            Fred’s brows arched as he tuned out the question. He was far more interested in the fact that his best friend hadn’t even been looking at them but still knew which twin he was. It shouldn’t surprise him but it did. This was something he would never get used to or take for granted.

            “But it’s dangerous!” Pansy half yelled, half whispered. She was worried about all of this and worried about her friends. Things at the school had seemed complicated but now her perspective had changed. Children being atrocious couldn’t compare to an organization determined to wipe out all magical creatures.

            “Sometimes the best things in life that are worth fighting for, are dangerous.” Harry told her, still holding Draco and running his hands up and down his lover’s back. “Whether it’s because taking a stand is dangerous or the fighting itself.”

            Lucius arched a brow at the wise retort. “Insightful of you.” He drawled in slight amusement.

            “Oh, that’s not even remotely insightful.” Severus argued as he sat down next to Remus. “You should have heard some the things they said in the Article 5 meeting.”

            Narcissa let out a low whistle. “You had an Article 5, tonight?” She looked between her two sons with pinched brows. “And Harry was there too?”

            His wife’s question worried Lucius. Harry wasn’t allowed to be in meetings. That could ruin a lot of things for Draco if the rules had been broken to allow in the Gryffindor.

            Now that the meeting was behind them, Severus was quite glad that he could get to the bottom of things. “You son cited clause 30.”

            _“What?”_ Lucius and Narcissa asked in unison, eyes snapping to the little they could see of Draco.

            “What’s clause 30?” Fred and George whispered to their partners, unsure of what was happening.

            “Is that some kind of intimidation tactic that can break rules?” George wondered curiously. "Or maybe a threat?"

            Pansy rolled her eyes. “Intimidation isn’t something that works very well on Slytherins. We all use intimidation daily in many different forms. One becomes sensitized in that regard. So, it would have to be creative if one was to succumb to intimidation.”

            Blaise hummed in agreement as he entwined his fingers with his boyfriend. “I would say Draco used smarts. Which _will_ go far when handling other Slytherins. I suppose if you want to get technical, smarts could count as intimidation in some ways but that wasn’t the case this time.”

            The whispered conversation was intriguing to Remus, who despite having a Slytherin lover, had no idea what they were talking about. Slytherins were so different than he was used to.

            “Clause 30 requires visible proof.” Lucius pointed out as he withdrew his wand and immediately started casting diagnostic spells.

            A brush of magic had Draco lifting his head up and looking to his father in amusement. “I’m alright.” It was debatable if that was really the truth. Emotionally, he was far from alright. Physically, he was drained. Magically, he was out of control. Mentally, he was holding strong. So, perhaps he was a mixture at the moment.

            “That has yet to be determined.” Severs muttered as he too began running spells, only from the comfort of the couch. He was feeling a little fatigued from all of the spells and effort of the past hour.

            “Draco’s magic shattered all of the windows in the Great Hall.” Remus explained when Narcissa looked confused. “It was wild magic.”

            Severus’ eyes went to his lover as he nodded his head. That would make sense considering that the magic on the cracked glass in the Slytherin common room was also wild magic. At the time, he hadn’t stopped to consider that the magic in the Great Hall had been wild then too.

            Draco blinked rapidly as he stared at Remus. “Are you sure?” That hadn’t crossed his mind in the slightest. He had just thought that his magic was acting out due to his emotions being unstable. It being wild magic didn’t make sense to him at all.

            “Positive.” There was a pause as the werewolf tilted his head to the side. “It took a combined in synch effort of Filius and I to get them fixed... And that was one by one. It was _hard_.”

            That had Lucius stopping his spells for a moment as he regarded the man curiously. “You performed magic in synch with someone else?” He was impressed. It took a deep level of concentration to match someone else’s input of magic. It took a knowledge of time, theory and knowing the other person’s magic as well.

            “Yes.” Remus agreed as he shook his head in memory of attempting to repair the glass. “It was hard and took many different tries but we eventually got the windows fixed.”

            “I’m sorry.” Draco apologized with a grimace. “I didn’t know I was releasing wild magic.” Which was true. He knew that his magic was out of control but he didn’t think for a moment that it was wild.

            “That much was obvious.” Severus snarked with narrowed eyes. “I know that you know the consequences of wild magic. You could have leveled the _entire_ building. Could have harmed or killed us all.”

            There was a simmering guilt and shame in the bond, something that Harry didn’t like one bit.

            “He didn’t know.” Harry said with palpable venom. “Things have been rather difficult lately and he doesn’t need you making him feel worse.”

            “No.” Argued Draco. “It’s alright. I need to be more careful. I should have realized it was wild magic.”

            “Draco.” The protest was sweet but Draco shook his head. This was actually worrisome. How was it that he was performing wild magic and not meaning to?

            “I don’t see anything wrong with you.” Lucius grumbled as the tests came back normal. “How could you have claimed Clause 30 with results like this?”

            Draco bit his lip. “I knew something wasn’t quite right with my magic. I had already broken the windows in the hotel room and in the Great Hall. The thought of Harry being asked to leave wasn’t helping anything. I _needed_ him in there. So, technically it was medical. I wasn’t lying. I can’t say if something _is_ wrong with me but it was vital that Harry not leave. So, I said the only thing I could think of!”

            Lucius shared a long look with Severus, both trying to understand what had happened and why Draco’s magic would be acting out.

            “Have you come in contact with anything that might make your magic go out of control?” Lucius wondered. “It could be anything from a Magical Creature to a pocket of magic.”

            Harry shared a look with Draco before they sheepishly looked back to the room. “We went to a ley line.” Harry mumbled at the same time that Draco blurted, “Harry took in ley magic.”

            “Wicked.” Fred and George whispered at the same time before sharing grins. They had seen a ley line once when they were children but it was from a far distance. Their mother hadn’t allowed them anywhere near the actual boarders.

            “Are you alright?” The worry in Remus’ tone was heavy.

            “How?” Narcissa wondered curiously. It was unheard of for someone to take in ley magic and not become power-drunk. There had been an emphasis on Harry taking in magic but what about Draco?

            “Any backlash?” Lucius began running more tests but they just kept coming back normal. Which was just infuriating him.

            “We are alright.” Harry told them softly. “We were at Disney World, hadn’t even entered the park fully when I was just overwhelmed with this magical presence.”

            Severus’ brows arched as he tried to come to grips with this. It just didn’t make sense. Ley lines usually affect people who are within distance of the line and _trying_ to feel it. Not people minding their own business.

            “What about the barriers?” Pansy wondered with a shake of her head. “If you weren’t in the park, shouldn’t there have been barriers set up?”

            Draco glared darkly. “There was a shift. The ley line shifted past the barriers.”

            That had Severus worried. Ley lines had experts on call at all times. Shifts were anticipated and precautions set up. It was incredibly rare for a shift to slip through like that. He was positive some people were getting fired over it.

            Remus squinted briefly. “But that doesn’t explain why Harry was able to feel it like that.”

            When everyone looked to Harry for an explanation, he shrugged a little helplessly. “I didn’t intentionally seek it out.” There was an almost defensive quality to his tone. “We were walking and it just was there. After I felt it, I did try and understand what was happening. It was seductive in a way. It was so vast and so heady. I wanted it and wanted more of it.” Harry took a pause as he closed his eyes and could feel the distant longing in his own memories.

            “But I was able to realize that the power was good for admiring at a distance, not something to take into myself. It was hard to stop myself from immersing into it fully.”

            “Woah.” The quartet whispered as one.

            “You were able to hold yourself back from ley magic?” Blaise was completely stunned. It was hard for him to understand why Harry had been affected in the first place but to think that his friend had managed to pull out of the ley magic, it was almost impossible. That just doesn’t happen, unless one is specifically trained in matters of the ley.

            “Yes. But it was hard.” Harry told him with a small shake of his head.

            “What were you doing at the time?” Lucius asked Draco in slight confusion. He knew that his son probably had been freaking out. Harry tended to be Draco’s weakness. Especially in situations where the brunette was hurt.

            Harry rubbed Draco’s back as he sent him an apology, remembering that Draco had gotten the brunt of the emotions in the bond.

            Draco rolled his eyes as he waved away the apology. “I was overloaded with his emotions. The bond was insanely overpowered. I think it was the emotional equivalence of power-drunk just without the actual power. I know that doesn’t really make sense.”

            “No.” Severus argued. “I think it does make sense.” He sent Lucius a look as he tried figuring it all out. “Earlier, Lucius asked about any backlashes. From what you described, Draco received Harry’s backlash. For some reason, it was almost as if the ley was treating you as one person. Only, it didn’t allow you both to feel the other person’s experiences. One of you felt the magic and the other felt the consequences.”

            “So, I was the unlucky one. Fucking typical.” Draco complained, shooting Harry a look.

            Harry sighed heavily as he took in Draco’s indignation. “I am so not apologizing for that.” It wasn’t his fault that the ley went to him.

            That had Draco grinning smugly because he could still feel that Harry _was_ sorry for the backlash.

            Remus hummed in thought as he tuned the bickering couple out. “So, you think Draco’s magic is affected by the ley line?”

            The question had Severus lifting one shoulder. “Possibly. There isn’t a whole lot to go off of. We have no idea what exactly happened or if there is something else that needs to be included into the equation.”

            Lucius sighed as he tried to recall if anything like this had happened before. “What makes the wild magic come out? Is it anger?”

            Harry was about to nod but when Draco shook his head, he stopped in confusion.

            “No.” Draco spoke up with his own confusion. “It has manifested strongly when I get angry but that isn’t all.” He thought back to the Slytherin common room. “I _was_ angry then but it was an anxious fear of Harry leaving that started the cracks in the glass.”

            Lucius narrowed his eyes before looking to his friend. “Severus.”

            By the tone of his voice Severus knew exactly what the blonde was hinting at. “It would seem that we are in need of an experiment.”

            Harry and Draco shared surprised feelings in the bond, unsure of what the man was meaning. What kind of experiment?

            “Scientifically?” George asked with a frown. That didn’t sound fun at all. “Because we like to fancy ourselves great with data and research.”

            The offer had everyone but the quartet shaking their heads firmly.

            “No.” Draco denied. “ _Hell no._ There is _no_ way I am participating in any kind of experiment you four come up with.”

            “I am going to take that as a compliment.” Fred mused with a hand on his chin as he looked to Blaise.

            “I would.” Blaise offered as he wrapped an arm around his waist and laid his head on the redhead’s shoulder.

            “Of course you would.” Harry whispered loud enough that he knew he was heard.

            “You two stay there.” Severus commanded when it looked like the quartet was going to argue with Harry.

            “You ever get the feeling that we are the only normal people in the family?” Draco asked as he watched everyone else huddle in a corner with a silencing charm around them.

            “Everyday.” The easy retort brought a snort from Draco. “Are you worried?” Harry asked as he tried to feel anything out of place in the bond.

            “A little.” Admitted Draco. “I don’t want to hurt anyone accidentally.”

            “You won’t.”

            The conviction in his tone had Draco arching a brow as he rested his forehead against his husband. “What makes you so certain?”

            “Because I am here.”

            “How incredibly cocky of you, my great consort. I thought that was one of my traits.”

            Harry grinned widely. “I just meant that I can be here to mediate and put up shields if I think something will go wrong.”

            Draco nodded his head before laying it down on Harry’s shoulder. “I just wish that today was over. I am just so done.”

            “Harry.” Remus interrupted as everyone else came around them. “Have you tried calming Draco with the bond when the emotions start to get out of control?”

            “Yes, but it doesn’t work very well.” He stopped to shake his head. “It’s not that the bond isn’t working, because it is. It’s just more that calming him isn’t enough. Almost as if it’s not really an emotional issue. I don’t know how to explain it.”

            Remus hummed in thought as he shared a look with everyone else. That would complicate things. If Harry couldn’t calm Draco with the bond, then they would have to be very careful with what they do.

            “That doesn’t make sense.” Fred whispered as his brows furrowed and he frowned. “If wild magic is coming out when Draco's emotions are out of control but Harry can’t calm them because it isn’t emotional, then what are we even dealing with? The two are canceling each other out. It’s a bloody paradox.”

            The statement had merit. It didn’t make sense. Harry was beginning to think nothing in the world was ever going to make sense. All he knew was that that was what happened during Draco’s outbursts.

            “I’m more surprised that you know what a paradox is.” Lucius mumbled before smirking at the redhead’s glare.

            Remus cleared his throat, shooting Lucius a look that he usually reserved for first years acting out. “We think that distance is something we should try.”

            “That sounds like a bad idea.” Draco honestly replied as he stood up.

            Harry had to agree with his husband. Distance right now would probably not be the best plan of action.

            Draco wrapped his arms around Harry’s neck before he leaned forward and pressed his lips against the brunette’s in a soft kiss.

            When it looked like neither boy was going to move, Severus cleared his throat pointedly. “We don’t have all night.”

            “Later.” Harry promised as he couldn’t resist another press of lips. “I will kiss you all you want afterwards.”

            “Deal.” Draco whispered before giving Harry one last kiss. “How are we doing this?”

            “You are going to stay here, while Harry will leave.”

            Draco frowned at his father. “He isn’t going alone. Not with the _Venadere_ on the loose.”

            The concern had Harry smiling softly as he drew up a shield surrounding Draco. “I’ll be alright.” He promised as he made to grab his invisibility cloak from his bags.

            Harry held out his palm and entwined his fingers with the Slytherin as they both put small amounts of the bond into the shield, raising the defense and magical strength up.

            “Where should I go?”

            “Try small distances and then go farther.” Remus suggested as he worried about this. Messing with wild magic was a bad idea. Who knows what could happen if they actually produce it from Draco’s reactions.

            With the invisibility cloak in place, Harry apparated a few blocks away. It was a little chilly out, he was wishing he had bundled up before leaving. The bond was relatively normal. There was a spark of anxious energy but the longer he stayed where he was, the more the bond mellowed.

            “I don’t think distance is an issue.” Draco drawled as he placed his hands behind his head and stretched out.

            “Send him something to let Harry know to go further.” Severus suggested as he ran spells around the room, hoping to see if there was any kind of emissions in the room.

            Draco sent a wave of confidence and impatience in the bond, letting Harry know that it was okay but he was also wishing this would hurry up.

            Harry grinned as he shook his head before apparating right outside of the Manor. He felt the wards wash over him as he made his way towards the back yard. He smiled softly as he stepped into the gazebo and memories of the wedding surfaced.

            “What?” Blaise asked impatiently when he noticed Draco’s head tilt to the side. “Is he okay?”

            “Yes.” Draco replied with an arched brow. There was a sense of nostalgia in the bond and it had him curious as to where his lover was.

            “I think we are going about this wrong.” Narcissa spoke up when minutes past and nothing substantial happened.

            “Explain.” Severus and Lucius said together.

            “Distance and separation are two different things. I don’t think it was Harry being distanced from him that affected Draco. I think it was the threat of separation.”

            Draco felt a twinge of dislike at that. Being separated did _not_ sit well with him.

            “The threat of not being together, not knowing what was going to happen to either of them.”

            Each word his mother spoke had Draco shaking his head rapidly. He didn’t like that. Didn’t like the sound of it at all.

            “The meeting was obviously important and Draco had a lot of things to say. Harry is always his anchor, I think the thought of being without his support affected his emotions.”

            “No.” Draco whispered softly.

            Remus looked over and noticed that Draco was not fairing well. He hummed in thought as he considered that Narcissa may have a point.

            “That would suggest there is some kind of codependency issue going on.” Lucius pointed out with a frown. “If Draco’s magic is acting out due to the threat of Harry being away from him, then this sounds like some kind of psychological problem.”

            Draco’s eyes moved rapidly between his parents, trying to figure out if they were going to suggest more separation as a means to test this. Which was not something he wanted to do.

            “Yes, but this is different.” Narcissa argued. “I think you are confusing separation and distance again. I think that Draco’s emotions are higher than normal due to whatever has his magic out of control. I think that his mind wasn’t thinking that it would be just a small distance between them. I think that his mind jumped over that logic and went into a thought of separation. Of being cut off from Harry.”

            Lucius acknowledged this with a tilt of his head as he looked to his son. His brows arched at the distressed expression. Perhaps his wife was right. He shot Severus a look to let the man know to prepare himself.

            “Draco.” Lucius began softly as he backed away from his son. “That feeling of separation that began to root inside of the common room, what was that like? Was it similar to if we told you that you could never see Harry again? Is it-”

            He was cut off by a slam of energy as magic surrounded the room. Eight different wands shot up casting shields that ended up being unnecessary. The shield that Draco and Harry had put up was holding strong and not allowing anything to escape.

            Harry apparated home immediately when he felt Draco’s emotions go all over the place. There had been a flurry of odd emotions and none of them were remotely good. He had never even felt any of them before. Abandonment was at the forefront and Harry didn’t like it.

            Draco reached out his hand immediately stopping his magic from extending further. Now that he was completely aware of what was happening, he could feel what he was doing. There was an _almost_ control now that he was realizing what was going on.

            The wild energy stilled the moment that Draco had extended his hand. Lucius arched a brow as he counted this as progress. If his son was able to take the magic back so quickly, then that meant there was some kind of control.

            As Harry stepped into Draco’s space, he sighed in relief as the emotions in the bond mellowed out. Before he could take off the cloak, Draco was pulling him onto his lap and nearly squeezing the life out of him.

            “Um, Draco.” Pansy began hesitantly. “What are you doing?” The sight of Draco hugging nothing was really concerning. Had her friend snapped? Was this experiment a failure? Had they mistakenly driven the blonde into insanity?

            “It’s Harry.” Remus explained as he rolled his eyes. The smell of his cub was undeniable.

            Blaise peered curiously at Draco. “How did you know he was there? The bond?” He watched harry pull off the cloak and wasn't surprised to see the Gryffindor on Draco's lap.

            “I suppose that is accurate.” Draco mused as he tightened his hold on the brunette. “It was more a sense of a presence than anything. I just knew he was there. The bond didn’t alert me as you are probably thinking. But I suppose this sense of hyperawareness _did_ come from the bond.”

            “Another bloody paradox.” Fred grumbled with a frown.

            “Are you alright?” Harry whispered as he turned around till he was straddling the Slytherin. “I didn’t like the way you were feeling.”

            “I am alright now.” Draco answered honestly. “It was intense for a moment.”

            “What was being said? Was it the distance?” Harry wondered as he nuzzled Draco’s neck.

            “No. It was the threat of separation.”

            Harry jerked back in surprise before he narrowed his eyes and craned his neck behind him. “What? Someone want to run that by me.”

            Severus lifted his hands in a placating manner. “We realized that the distance hadn’t been the issue in the common room. It was the threat of separation. The irrational fear of not seeing you again was what affected him.”

            Harry snapped his gaze back to Draco with a frown. He leaned forward till he could whisper low enough that he wouldn’t be heard. “I would _never_ leave you.” He promised thickly, recalling the pain and abandonment in the bond. “I know you know this.”

            “I do.” Draco whispered back as he turned his head till he could look into concerned green eyes. “I know that you won’t leave me just as I know that I wouldn’t leave you. It’s my emotions. They are all over the place and the words were affecting me in ways I didn’t think were possible. I never want to feel like that again.”

            Harry sighed softly as he ran his fingers against a pale cheek. “I don’t ever want to feel those emotions from you again.”

            “It looks like our second experiment is kicking off without any prompting.” George whispered to the others as they watched the two soulmates lose themselves in each other.

            Lucius nodded his agreement as he narrowed his eyes in thought. They knew that anger and separation caused Draco’s magic to come out but they needed to know other emotions as well. Love was something they had been going to try next. Because that was an emotion that didn't need to be planned out. It was something that the two boys had a lot of.

            “I love you.” Draco told Harry softly as he chose to pretend that the last few minutes hadn’t happened. He hated that. This experimenting stuff was not fun at all. Not even a little bit.

            The sweet lulling of love in the bond was definitely Harry’s favorite thing to feel. “I love you too.” Harry whispered. “Possibly more than you love me.”

            That had Draco scoffing. “I beg to differ.” At Harry’s arched brow, Draco narrowed his eyes. “No, really. What makes you think that?”

            “Oh my god.” George complained. “I can’t stomach this. It is _way_ too disgustingly sweet. Makes me want to throw up.”

            “Fuck off.” Harry and Draco told them in unison, not bothering to turn around.

            There was something very intimate about the way Harry was staring at Draco. With the low light of the room and the sparkling green eyes, Draco swore he fell a little bit more in love with his husband. The soft quirk of a smile and the pure adoration in the bond was everything.

            “Should we say something?” Pansy whispered. “I don’t know how long we are supposed to wait for something to—” She was cut off by the same energy as before only this time the magic was calmer.

            The shield that Harry and Draco had set up was still holding strong but the others in the room weren’t taking any chances. They all raised their own shields as the magic picked up.

            Draco furrowed his brows when he felt an odd thrumming. His magic was once again acting up but he couldn’t figure out what was the trigger. Nothing bad had happened. Nothing that would explain what was causing his magic to react like this.

            Instead of reaching out his hand, he held on to Harry tighter and used his soulmate as an anchor. He closed his eyes and reigned it all in, not allowing an outburst to come forth.

            Harry scrunched up his face in confusion as the determination in the bond mounted and he could feel Draco’s magic swirling around the two of them. It wasn’t malicious nor was it a danger. The magic was comforting to Harry. Even when the magic was acting out, he had never been afraid of it.

            “That was the best one so far.” Lucius mused with a cough to get his sons’ attention.

            “What are you doing when you make the magic calm down?” Severus wondered with a contemplative look.

            Draco shrugged. “Treating it like I would any other kind of magic of mine. I just reign it in.”

            “It’s different though.” Harry piped up as he rested his head on Draco’s shoulder. “You seem more in control now than before.”

            “I agree.” Severus’ reply came with an approving nod. “In the common room, you weren’t fully aware of what you were doing. Or at least you didn’t care. Now, you seem to reign it in better.”

            Lucius shook his head. “But not good enough. The shields were preventive measures but that isn’t going to save bystanders if you aren’t prepared. This is something that needs to be worked on. That way, you can control your magic _before_ something happens.”

            The logic to that was true, something that Draco couldn’t deny. He didn’t want something bad to happen if his magic wasn’t fully in control. People could get hurt and that wasn’t something that would sit well with him. At all.

            “I’ll have to practice this. Practice controlling my magic. It would be pointless to try and control my emotions, that will result in them becoming repressed and make the outburst that much more dangerous.” He paused as he sighed heavily.

            “I just wish that I knew what had affected me so much.” Draco complained. “I don’t know if it was really the ley line or something else.” He shared several troubling emotions with Harry. Trying to convey his reservations about the Shaytan fully.

            “I know.” Harry whispered, not lifting his head. He believed everything the Magical Creature had said, he just wasn’t sure how he felt about it. Nor was he fully on board with the Shaytan’s methods of doing things. The Jinn knew more than what was being said and when people don’t give the full information, that tends to make him suspicious. His whole life he had been fed half-truths and was never trusted to have everything up front. With something as serious as the fate of the entire world, this was concerning.

            “What is it you know?” Pansy asked with a frown. “That sounded vague. What’s going on?”

            “Does this have anything to do with the Shaytan you mentioned?” Narcissa asked with her arms folded across her chest.

            “Fred, I think my hearing went out.” George tried cleaning out his ear with a finger. “Because if they encountered a Shaytan and waited until _now_ to tell us, then we have some issues to work out.”

            Draco could feel Harry’s smile against his neck and he rolled his eyes.

            “Sounds like story time to me.” Fred demanded with a haughty tone, channeling Draco.

            Lucius arched a brow at his son. “What are you teaching them? Impressions?”        

            Draco scoffed as he heard a few snorts. “They do whatever they want, regardless of what I wish they would. Besides, if they are taking after me, then that just shows they have good taste.”

            “You know, they say that imitation _is_ the sincerest form of flattery.” Harry piped up letting his amusement show in his tone.

            “What moron said that?” Lucius countered with his own show of a haughty tone. “Imitation takes originality away, leaving the door open to many copies drowning out what was there first.”

            “Anyways!” Remus began loudly, cutting off the squabble before it could start. “Let’s hear about the Shaytan, shall we?”

            Draco summoned a pensieve and handed it to his father to hold while Harry pulled out the memory.

            “You’ll have to watch it. There is no way to capture the seriousness to the situation through a simple retelling.” Draco told them when he caught sight of a few curious looks.

            “Alright.” The twins agreed with a rather put out aura. “But we are still upset with you.”

            Draco rolled his eyes and leveled an unimpressed look at them. “Get in before I exclude you from seeing it.”

            Fred grabbed his brother and quickly entered the memory, therefore missing Pansy and Blaise’s heavy sighs.

            Lucius placed several charms around the room and the wards in general before following the quartet. He wasn’t going to take any chances that something could happen to Harry or Draco while they were busy with the memory.

            Narcissa kissed her husband’s cheek in gratitude. Protecting Harry and Draco was her top priority.

            Harry reached out a hand behind him as he lifted his head up and turned slightly so that he could squeeze Remus’ hand. “We’ll be fine.”

            That had Remus huffing but he nodded his head in agreement before letting Harry’s hand drop. His instincts were telling him not to leave his cub, especially not with everything that was happening. But he also needed to see what had happened with the Shaytan. Something was telling him that this memory was very important.

            Draco watched Severus and Remus enter the memory and breathed out softly when it was just the two of them and Kreacher.

            “What a long day.” Harry whispered as he settled himself more comfortably in Draco’s arms.

            “And it isn’t even over.” Draco hid a yawn behind his hand as his eyes became droopy. “I just want to sleep for days.”

            Harry smiled sappily as he took in the Slytherin’s adorable sleepy face. “We aren’t on our honeymoon anymore. Which means that we have to wake up for classes early tomorrow.”

            Draco’s eyes snapped open as his horror filled the bond. “What kind of shite is this?”

            The light laughter of his husband filled the room and Draco reveled in it. Despite the crazy twist their life was turning into, they still managed to find things to laugh about and to take joy in. They could do this. They _would_ do this.

            …And they would succeed.

 

* * *

 

 

            The darkening night and shifting clouds covering the moon was a fitting poetic descriptor of his heart. Darkened existence with all glimpses of light obscured. Why did closure have to be so painful? Heartache shouldn’t be something that has to happen to be able to support a friend. Luck had never been on his side but fuck, this pain wasn’t expected.

            The echo of feet slapping pavement could be heard but Theodore didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. “I’m alright.” He whispered, hoping the lie wasn’t as transparent as the stinging of his eyes.

            “Lie to yourself but don’t lie to me.” Millicent chided as she stood next to her best friend, looking over the balcony of the astronomy tower.

            “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” She continued softly as she laid her head on his shoulder, admiring the nightlife and the beauty of the scenery.

            He didn’t. Not even remotely… but saying nothing was going to accomplish nothing. Keeping it inside was only going to harm himself down the road.

            “I want to be shallow and self-centered by asking, _why doesn’t he want me_?” Theo’s voice cracked as he laid his head on top of Millicent’s. “I’ve been here waiting for years. I’ve been here hoping that one day I could be seen, even in a tiny sliver of the way I see him.”

            Millicent’s heart ached as she fought back a small whimper. Theo had never been the type of person to do things half way. If he was going to do something, it was going to be with a full commitment. Which unfortunately included loving Draco Malfoy.

            “I was here for the childhood memories, the laughter, the pain, the tears and even the awkward puberty. I have seen Draco at his worst and his shining glory. I have been here all along.” He took a deep breath, trying to stop his tears from falling. “And yet, I was never even looked at twice. His friend. That’s all I have ever been and all I ever will be.”

            A harsh but watery chuckle escaped him. “And it fucking sucks. My mind is so happy that Draco is finally getting the love that he deserves but my heart is weeping. It’s not just crushed; my heart is obliterated and I don’t know how to act or what to say. I wish it was just simple jealousy that was my issue. It would be easy to wish that I was the one in Potter’s place but I _know_ that I can’t make Draco happy like that. For some reason, I am not what he needs. That kills me, Millie. It kills me because he deserves the best and that isn’t me.”

            Oh god. Millicent shook her head as her own tears came forward. The pain in his voice was her undoing. “I wish I could tell you that it gets better or even easier but I think that would be hollow right now.”

            Another bitter laugh escaped Theo. “It doesn’t get better, it gets worse. One just becomes accustomed to handling the day to day bullshit. I’ve known for years that I would never be with Draco. The knowledge meant nothing until the physical proof was right in front of my eyes.”

            “He’s happy.” Theodore choked out with tears finally escaping. “The joy is so clear on his face. The easy smiles and love in his eyes is the only thing I have ever wanted for him. Why does his happiness have to crush mine?”

            Millicent wasn’t good with words or heart to hearts. She had no idea what was the right thing to say.

            “Is this just a life lesson?” Theo wondered as he wiped his eyes. “That to have love, I have to go through pain? Is there even love down the road for me?”

            “Of course there is.” Millicent argued with a frown. “Theo, you have spent so long loving Draco that you never paid attention to yourself. I think that if you focus on yourself, the rest will fall into place.”

            She lifted her head to stare into his watery eyes. “Love is something that a lot of people strive for. It can be a motivating factor in life but that doesn’t mean it has to be _your_ defining qualities. I don’t want to suggest that you ignore love in its entirety but maybe not let it be the forefront.”

            “Then what should be the forefront?”

            Millicent pointed at Theo’s chest. “You. Find Theo before you find love. Because one day, someone is going to come along and love you the way you deserve. They are going to put you first in ways that Draco never would’ve been able to. Their love is going to surprise you and sweep you off your feet. The same happiness that is crushing your heart right now, will be the happiness that fills your being. You are going to be loved Theo, don’t doubt that. Someone is going to look at you the way that you look at Draco.” She paused to wipe new tears that fell from his eyes.

            “And it won’t be painful. You are going to know exactly where you stand with them and it will be beautiful. You are going to fall in love and it will be worth it. This pain right now is temporary. So temporary.” If only she believed her own words. The lies fell so easily from her lips, begging him to see what she couldn't speak.

            Theo wrapped her in a hug and held on tightly as he let out all his tears and gut-wrenching pain. “When did you get to be so wise?”

            Millicent smiled sadly as she tightened her hold on him. “I know what it’s like to fall in love with someone who doesn’t see you.”

           Flashes of the beautiful boy of her childhood filled her mind. She recalled the way he could make her heart melt and beat rapidly in the span of seconds. The way he understood her completely. Millicent had watched the boy she loved fall for a boy who didn’t love him back. Oh, how she ached to show him how she was the one for him. How she had been here for him too. It was karma cursing her. She was forced to live through the same thing plaguing the one she loved.

            For as long as Theo had known that Draco would never love him back, Millicent had known that Theodore would never love her. Never see her the way that she saw him. She had done the only thing she could to stay in his life, and that was to become his best friend. No matter how crushing that position was, it was something that she couldn't give up. Some days it killed her but others, it was the only thing keeping her going.

            “Maybe he will love you.” Theo whispered. “I didn’t get my Draco but maybe you’ll get yours.”

            Millicent bit her lip hard to stop from crying out. “Yeah, maybe.” She wondered if the hollow lie was as transparent as her breaking heart. Sadly, she knew that getting her love wasn’t going to happen.

           “I don’t know what I would do without you, Millie.”

            The words filled her with small spark of pain but mainly brought happiness. Despite not being the one for Theo, she was going to do everything she could to see him happy. He deserved that much.

            The shifting clouds continued to cover the moon as the two let their breaking hearts begin to get the closure that was needed. The tears were necessary and the pain was mellowing into a bitter but resolved understanding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, what did you think? 
> 
> I would say that not a whole lot happened but some key things were mentioned. I won't really say what exactly that was because I like to let you come to some conclusions on your own. 
> 
> The experiment was something that isn't quite over with. It was just the beginning. I won't tell you if it really was from the ley line or if it was possibly something to do with the Shaytan. Who knows? Maybe it's something else entirely. Just know that his magic leaving Draco in wild fits is not going to be like the darkness. This isn't the same thing. 
> 
> So, I legit teared up several times when writing the last little scene. I know, it was probably just me but god, that affected me hard. If you recall, Abigail said she could smell a lover on Millicent. That was not a slip up. This will be mentioned later on. I even teared up in editing it too. Excuse me while I search for tissues and ugly cry. 
> 
> I will reply to all of your previous comments after I wake up. It took up all my energy being able to edit and post this. This sucks but I will just have to work around whatever is ailing me. Just know that I love all of you and I am sorry for the wait. I will really try to post better. Occasionally, I have been posting tiny oneshots on tumblr. It has been a way to try and get my creative juices flowing enough to focus on a chapter or just writing in general. If that interests you, then check it out.  
>  [My Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/xx-thedarklord-xx)
> 
> -XxTheDarkLordxX


	11. Taking a Stance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter doesn't really have any warnings that I can think of. It is more of an explanation type of chapter but it is necessary.

            “Are you out of your fucking mind?” Daphne hissed harshly as she dragged her sister out of the common room and into an abandoned classroom.

            Astoria narrowed her eyes dangerously before turning around and snubbing her completely.

            The theatrics had Daphne rolling her eyes before she pulled out her wand and warded the room. There was no way this conversation could be held without further protection.

            “What possessed you to throw away all sense of decorum and act like a complete moron?” Daphne continued with her hands in the air, not understanding her sister at all. “Do you even know how close you were to not only ruining your own social standing but mine as well? Not to mention our family line?”

            “Collateral damage.” Astoria whispered as she refused to turn around and see the hurt in her sister’s eyes.

            “I see.” Daphne’s tone was just as quiet. “That’s all I am to you?” Sometimes, she wondered why she even bothered. “After all we have been through, you are just going to toss me to the side to ensure you get what you want?”

            A bitter laugh escaped Astoria before she could tame it. “We are Slytherins after all.”

            “That’s bullshit and you know it.” Growled Daphne, taking a step forward. “Don’t attempt to deflect the situation at hand.”

            “You think you know the situation?”

            “No.” Daphne shook her head slowly. “Not all of it. I think you are on an endless path. I think you are taking your anger and grudges too far.”

            Astoria spun around with her hands clenched and eyes lit in fury. “You _would_ say that. Perfect Daphne who can do no wrong. Perfect Daphne who will marry into a fine pureblood surname. Perfect Daphne with top grades. Perfect Daphne as a leader. Just _Perfect_ Daphne.”

            The speech had Daphne sighing heavily as she stepped away to lean against the wall. “I am far from perfect.” She ignored the derisive snort her sister released. “You are listening to mother too intently. She doesn’t know what she is talking about.”

            “Don’t.” Astoria warned drawing her wand.

            “You going to curse me, sister?” Daphne wasn’t worried, despite whatever had happened to the little girl that used to be her best friend, she knew that Astoria didn’t have it in her.

            “Ah, no faith in my abilities?”

            Daphne arched a brow. “I have faith that you aren’t like _her_.” She ignored the way Astoria’s stance seemed to stiffen and hands begin to shake.

            “Just tell me one thing.” Daphne begged. “Tell me this isn’t over marriage. Because you _will_ find someone.”

            Astoria looked away briefly, arm dropping to her side. “It’s not the only reason.”

            “But the main one.” Daphne deduced with a shake of her head.

            “He ruined me, Daph. I’m ruined.”

            There was no pain in her voice, only anger but it was enough for Daphne to realize it was too late to reason with her sister. But… she had to try.

            “Draco didn’t ruin you. If you would quit listening to mother, you would realize-” A blast of magic next to her head had Daphne stalling and eyes widening at her sister.

            “I told you to stop.” Astoria breathed heavily, arm stretched out and wand glowing. “This isn’t mother’s fault. It’s his.”

            Before Daphne could open her mouth to argue, Astoria barreled through.

            “He didn’t just turn down mother’s marriage contract, his denial set the tone for _everyone_ else. No one wants the scraps of a Malfoy reject. At this rate I am going to end up with a fucking mudblood!”

            Daphne wanted to point out that it was more than just Draco’s refusal that had been the reason but her sister was on a rampage of anger but she knew that it would do no good to bring up logical reason.

            “I thought that it would all blow over since then but it hasn’t. It’s been seven years and I am still sneered at. I am still being judged because one prick didn’t want me.”

            “Are you so far gone from reality that you have forgotten the stunts you pulled?” Daphne interrupted in disbelief. “There is a _reason_ Draco turned you down and it wasn’t to torment you or to make your life hell.”

            “He was eleven years old!” Astoria argued. “Are you telling me that he knew back then? Don’t make me laugh. He knew exactly what he was doing and it _was_ to mess with me.”

            There was a hysterical edge to Astoria’s voice and that alone worried Daphne more than the entire conversation.

            “But he’ll be the one regretting it.” Promised Astoria. “Of that, I am sure. Him and his new _husband_. Now is the best time, their entire family is ruined at the moment. I won’t have another chance.”

            “You really are mental.” Daphne couldn’t help but admit. “He isn’t just married to some average mediocre wizard. He is married to Harry bloody Potter! If you go up against him you are going to lose.”

            When it looked like her sister was going to argue, Daphne raised her hand. “No, you had your turn, let me speak.” A reluctant nod from Astoria had her continuing.

            “Potter took the Malfoy name. Can you even comprehend just how elevated the Malfoy name has now become? Despite the public opinion of the Malfoys, they cannot deny the influence Potter will bring the surname. Potter not only backed them in their trial but he got them off without even a _warning_.” Daphne shook her head at the near miracle that was in of itself.

            “You are absolutely crazy if you think you will be able to touch Draco. Potter killed the Dark Lord. Not just had a hand in it. No, he killed him in front of hundreds of people. He is the bloody savior. Twice! The sheer power that he must possess is hard to grasp. If you think that anything you concoct is going to touch his social standing, then you need to visit St. Mungos and get evaluated. Because to touch the Malfoy name, you _are_ going to have to go through Potter first.”

            An uneasy expression flittered across her face and it was somewhat hopeful to Daphne.

            “Potter is not someone to mess with. Not now while he is still in the public’s graces. Not even if he loses that. Because no amount of publicity—good or bad—is going to change his magical abilities.” She paused to search Astoria’s face, hoping that some of this was sinking in.

            “Draco is _going_ to be one of my advisors. I don’t need an election to know that he is going to win. I also don’t need an election to know that he is going to be the _only_ one to succeed.”

            “You don’t need him as an advisor.”

            Daphne sighed heavily at the petulant tone. “Yes, I do. If you think for one minute that I would still be leader if Draco had challenged me, then there is no point in talking to you. The _only_ reason I am still in charge is because he _let_ me.”

            “You deserve to be in charge.”

            That had Daphne smiling sadly. “Deserving to be in charge and being any good at it are two different things. Draco is a better leader than I am.” She shrugged once, uncaring at the admittance.

            “Even when he was distracted and a Death Eater, he still was a better leader than me.” Facts shouldn’t hurt when they are true but that one did sting a little bit.

            Astoria took a step towards her sister and cupped her cheek. “We deserve to be higher than where we are.”

            “Do we?” Daphne countered softly. “Or is it just jealousy making us _think_ that?”

            “Where is your conviction? Where is your drive?” Astoria clenched the fingers wrapped around her wand tightly. “Why are you so willing to be in the middle of the lineup? We were born to lead!”

            Daphne closed her eyes as their mother’s words were making itself known inside of Astoria. This wasn’t new to her. This conversation has been repeated all throughout her childhood.

            “Why are you so determined to allow other people’s opinion of us be what defines you?” Asked Daphne with pinched brows. “I just don’t understand the _need_ to be at the top. Those in power have more enemies. The strategic advantages of being in the middle lineup is far superior.”

            “You sound like father.” The last word Astoria spit out was said as if this was an insult. “Think like that and you’ll die just like he did. From being too gutless to join those who do have power.”

            Daphne smiled sadly. “Better to die with a belief in yourself than someone else’s.”

            Astoria sneered lightly before stepping back and placing space between the two of them. “We won’t ever see eye to eye.” That was becoming more apparent the longer the conversation went on. “If you can’t see what I do, then I’ll leave you behind.”

            No matter how much the statement hurt Daphne, she couldn’t bring herself to argue. She didn’t want to be a part of whatever Astoria was planning.

            “I may not have the power to go up against the Malfoys now that Potter has joined them but I have allied with those that do.”

            Daphne’s stomach dropped as horror filled her veins. “What have you done?”

            “Nothing.” The ‘yet’ was heavily implied. “But when I do, you’ll wish you had joined.” She paused as her eyes locked onto Daphne’s. “You can come to me at any time and participate.”

            “Even if I join the opposition?” Daphne countered seriously. She was never one to take sides in issues. Being impartial was far more convienent than taking a firm stance. But if her sister really was partaking in what was being implied, then this would be the turning point. There would be no going back.

            Astoria narrowed her eyes dangerously. “No.” She spat out heavily. “If you turn me down to go to them, then we can’t be sisters.”

            “I expected as much.” Daphne waved her wand and cancelled the wards. “I’ll see you around, Astoria.” Despite it being her name, she knew it would be significant. ‘Sister’ had always been their nickname for each other, rarely ever using actual names.

            This was it. This was Daphne’s stance. Salazar, Draco better appreciate it.

 

 

* * *

 

 

            The backlash of all of the emotions had Draco _really_ tired. A huge part of him was upset that he had to be the one on the receiving end of whatever was wrong with him. Especially, at a time like this. There was so much that needed to be done and this was horribly inconvenient.

            However, he couldn’t help but be intrigued. Was it really the ley line? Or was something else going on? His mind was working on overdrive, trying to understand it all but with nothing concrete to go off of, there was little that could be accomplished.

            Harry lifted his head up and ran his fingers through Draco’s hair, “We will figure it out.”

            The statement could be counted as a false reassurance but it was said with so much conviction that Draco couldn’t help but believe it. They _would_ figure out. Together.

            Draco hummed in agreement as he pushed his head further into those lovely fingers. “What do you think everyone will say when they come out of the memory?”

            That had Harry scrunching up his face. “I think they will be divided. It’s such a complicated situation and nothing is set in stone. Even picking a direction is faulty, so I think they won’t be able to come to an agreement.”

            Considering his father’s strong opinions and Severus’ analytic beliefs, Draco figured that Harry was right. He kind of wanted to just skip it all and deal with their reactions at another time but he knew that he wouldn’t be able to. He gave a silent agreement in the form of a nod as he closed his eyes and reveled in the touch of Harry in his arms.

            An odd curious feeling was in the bond and it had Draco pausing as he tried to delve deeper. It was fleeting and small but it was there in the background, which led him to believe that Harry had been wanting to ask something for a while but put it to the side.

            “Angel, what’s on your mind?”

            Harry smiled softly before he bit his lip in indecision. He could ask Draco at a later date or try and play it off but he knew that the Slytherin would see right through that.

            Draco arched a brow at the contradicting emotions he could feel. If he had to guess, he would say that it had seemed like Harry was debating about not telling him. Which would be pointless, because the brunette had to _know_ that Draco wasn’t just going to let it go. It was obvious that something was bothering his husband.

            “Why does Astoria dislike you so much?” A slight pause. “She didn’t seem to like me either.” Which was silly because Harry couldn’t remember ever even speaking to her before.

            A whirlwind of emotions sprang into the bond and it startled Harry enough to lean back and peer down at Draco. They were almost too quick to calculate but he had definitely picked up on worry, guilt, unease, anger and even betrayal.

            “That is a long story.” Sort of. It wasn’t exactly a lie, it was just complicated. Draco really didn’t want to talk about Astoria but he knew that Harry needed to be included in on this. Especially considering the girl seemed to hold a grudge.

            There was no impatience in their connection, just a patient understanding, letting Draco come to grips with figuring it out. Which had Draco sighing softly. Figures he would have a giant sap for a husband.

            “I was told early on as a child that I would one day be drafted into a marriage contract.”

            Harry narrowed his eyes as he peered down at Draco, already not liking where this was going.

            “My mother didn’t agree with the decision at all. Wanted me to be able to have the freedom to choose someone. So, they came to a compromise. I _would_ have to be drafted into a contract but it would be someone of _my_ choosing. My father would offer me people throughout different stages of my youth and if there was one I liked, I would say yes.”

            “Why have you never told me this before?”

            Draco nuzzled Harry’s cheek softly. “Because I have only ever chosen you in my life, Harry. I have never wanted to be in a marriage contract to begin with. I also wasn’t into girls, ever. Which I hadn’t told my family. So, I kept turning down my father’s options and then the final straw was Astoria when I was eleven.”

            That had Harry blinking rapidly at the fact that Lucius had Draco considering marriage partners multiple times before he was eleven. He may love his father in-law but there were some serious parental issues going on.

            “I had just come home for Christmas holiday and my father was _so_ certain that I would say yes to Astoria that he concocted a social celebration.”

            Despite the seriousness to the conversation, Harry was curious to why Draco seemed to be slightly amused.

            “He gathered most of his friends, most of them former Death Eaters or just those in good social standing. I had been blind sighted completely and so thrown off that I _may_ have been a tad harsh in rejection.”

            “What did you say?” Harry was reluctantly swept under the retelling.

            Draco sighed a little before he bit his lip. “It wasn’t just the party that had me thrown. Astoria herself had squealed when she saw me and _that_ was an experience I never want to relive again. I hardly even knew her. I knew Daphne because we were in the same year, her sister wasn’t even someone I ever came in contact with. We were children, I was thinking of Hogwarts and besting you while she was dreaming of a fantasy of the perfect marriage. No. That was just a giant no.”

            Harry arched a brow. “Besting me?” He bit his lip to stop the smug smile from forming but the unimpressed look from Draco had him knowing that it spilled into the bond.

            “With not even a semblance of humble inside of you, I wonder if you were supposed to be the king and not me.”

            That had Harry grinning widely. “No, being in charge isn’t my thing. I just like that I was better than you.”

            There was a challenge there but Draco wasn’t stupid enough to fall for it. “Really?” He arched a brow. “Saving the world has left you utterly delusional.”

            “Possibly.” Harry conceded with a shrug. “But you saved the world too.”

            “When?”

            “You save me daily.”

            Draco tilted his head to the side. “Are you insinuating that you are the world? Because if so, I think you have surpassed me in means of self-importance.”

            “No.” Harry argued in bemusement. “You really do save me every day and have since the night on the Quidditch pitch. You are my entire world and I know I am yours. So, the two are interchangeable. You save our worlds just by being who you are.”

            “You utter sap.” Draco whispered before he pressed a gentle kiss to Harry’s lips.

            “Don’t think you can distract me with pointing out the obvious.” Harry warned in amusement when he felt reluctance in the bond. “I want to hear more.”

            “Daphne is betrothed to marry Greggory and I do believe they will be wed after she graduates.” Draco tried to recall if things had changed but he couldn’t recall if anything had been said as of late.

            “Pansy’s mother just assumed that the closeness between Blaise and Pansy meant that they would just wed on their own, so no contract was ever brought up.”

            Harry had always known that some pureblood families took things a bit too far but he just couldn’t wrap his mind around signing over children’s lives like that.

            “Theo’s father set up the means to have him wed Millicent but her mother chose to allow Millicent the means to choose her own spouse.”

            “Are there no same sex marriage contracts?” Because not a single person so far had been mentioned of the sort.

            Draco hummed in thought. “Typically, no, not unless the preferences are announced at a young age.”

            “But not everyone comes to grips with their sexual orientation right out the gates.” Harry argued with a frown.

            “You are right.” Draco conceded quietly. “But what you must understand is that pureblood families obsessed with keeping the family line going, will value a potential offspring above the comfort of the heir’s orientation.”

            Disgust was heavy in the bond and it was coming from the both of them.

            “It hasn’t been until recently that talks of the experimental potions for male pregnancy was even brought up. The rituals to erase a surrogate’s blood and DNA is incredibly dark. While it is seen as more forgiving, it does put the family in a negative light. The risks aren’t seen as worth it to the head of the family. Most pureblood families that want to remain pure will still place their heirs in the position of not choosing the right to marry of their own free will.”

            “I don’t like that.” Harry whispered, clutching Draco tightly. He didn’t want to imagine the possibility that his husband could have been betrothed like that. Those were magically binding, they never would have been able to be together if Lucius had gotten his original way.

            “Neither do I.” Draco admitted with a frown. He would never do that to anyone, especially not his own child. The right to choose their own spouse should be a given and not a privilege.

            Harry could feel the sincerity in the bond and it appeased him enough to try and move the conversation along.

            “What did you end up saying to Astoria?”

            Draco looked away with a shake of his head. “I told my father that I didn’t want to marry her. I made sure to keep my voice low, because I was not going to have the party continue with everyone thinking that a marriage contract was going to be signed. When he broke the news to Astoria’s mother, well, let’s just say that neither of them took the news well.”

            Harry arched a brow at the mixture of emotions he could feel stemming from Draco.

            “Astoria tried to get me to change my mind all night. Kept badgering me at every turn. We were both children, so emotions were a little high, not to mention I didn’t have a whole lot of control when handling things that bothered me.” He paused for a moment. “Come to think of it, I still don’t handle things that bother me very well.”

           Harry rested his head on Draco’s shoulder and smiled softly. He was of the opinion that his soulmate was mistaken. Draco did have a lot of control in his emotions, he _chose_ to speak up when things bothered him. Which was two different things.

            “In the end, I snapped and told her that I would never marry her.” A flash of guilt in the bond. “And _may_ have insinuated I would consider marrying a muggle before considering the travesty that a marriage with her would bring.”

            Harry let out a low whistle. Merlin, that must have hurt. “In front of everyone at the party?”

            Draco rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh, yeah. My father was not happy with me.”

            “Because you didn’t want to marry her?”

            “Well that too but it was more because of the way I handled it. That wasn’t the proper way of discussing such a thing. He was right. I completely was in the wrong for that. I can’t really use my age as an excuse, I knew better.”

            There was still a lot of guilt in the bond but Harry wasn’t going to try and soothe this. Draco would have to come to grips with it all in his own way.

            “Did you ever apologize?”

            “Yes. Right after I could tell how much it hurt her.” Draco tried to ignore the memory of her tears. “She wanted nothing to do with me after that. I tried a few times over the years to make amends but she blames me for the lack of marriage offers her family has received.”

            “What do you mean?” Harry was confused. How could Draco be blamed for _other_ people not offering a contract? It wasn’t as if Draco was telling them not to do something.

            Draco shrugged his shoulders. “My father was the last person to offer the Greengrass family a contract. No one else stepped up since the party. I have heard a few rumors that Astoria’s mother branched out but they were all shot down.” He could still feel confusion in the bond and sighed heavily.

            “Back then, my family name was high in not only pureblood society but a lot of social standings. Do you remember when I told Belinda and Stefano that I would conduct business with the Dwarves if you were treated harshly by the Goblin’s in Sicily?” He paused to wait for Harry’s nod. “And that if it became public knowledge that the Malfoy name were to leave, that other families would follow?”

            “Yes.” Harry nodded his head, already figuring out where this was headed.

            “It’s the same thing. When I said that I wouldn’t marry her, it became this social standard. Other families didn’t want their heirs marrying into her family either. Daphne and Greggory were already in a contract, so it wasn’t as if that could be canceled.”

            Harry bit his lip, not sure if he considered this Draco’s fault. If other people chose to act like sheep in a line, that was on them. “Do you think that Goyle would have wanted to back out?”

            “No.” Draco smiled a little. “Greg likes Daphne and always has. Nothing would have stopped him from wanting to marry her.”

            Goyle was someone that Harry hadn’t really ever stopped to consider too much before. He knew that Draco hadn't ever really been close to the boy but there was still a lot about him that had Harry curious.

            “Even my father tried to get their social standing in regard to marriage contracts back up. But once the damage had been done, it was hard to change the minds of most people.” Draco continued with a sigh.

            “So, that’s why she dislikes you.”

            “For the most part. Yes.”

            Harry frowned at the anger in the bond. “What am I missing?”

            Draco ran his hand up and down Harry’s back, lost in thought. “Since her first year, which was our second, she has done nothing but try and undermine everything I stand for.” He had to concentrate on not letting his magic get caught up in his emotions.

            “Even before I was made leader in my fourth year, my opinion on matters in the house was sought after. Byproduct of being a Malfoy, I guess.” Draco shrugged uncertainly. “Every input I have ever had, she would find an argument against it. Every suggestion, she would provide five other ones that in her opinion, were superior. It only got worse after I was in charge. Every ruling I made, she would try and circumvent them. Every decision I chose, she would fight it.”

            “But aren’t there rules against this?” Harry wondered curiously.

            “Yes.” Draco agreed. “But the mark of a true Slytherin is being creative and having the determination to get what you want. She went about all of this in ways that never broke any rules. There is a lot that I can say negative against her but Astoria has always been smart.”

            It seemed more of an inconvenience than anything. Harry wasn’t really sure where the strong intense dislike of the girl came from.

            “Did you know that you weren’t the only one who suspected me of being behind the events of our sixth year?”

            Harry snapped his head up in surprise and part horror. “What?”

            Draco nodded his head slowly. “Astoria suspected and tried on many accounts to follow me and uproot anything I was doing.”

            This was something that Harry wasn’t too sure what he thought about it. On the one hand, this was someone who saw what Draco was doing and wanted to put a stop to it. But at the same time, he wasn’t sure if her motives were morally sound.

            “The Greengrass family has always been mostly neutral. Generations of Grey wizards. Occasionally, depending on what is happening in society, something will happen that will have them passing the line of neutrality and choosing a side. That does seem to only last for the one issue and then they tend to go back to being neutral.”

            Harry hummed a little. “Where did their family fall in line with Voldemort?” He couldn’t recall the Greengrass name ever previously mentioned by Voldemort.

            “Supporters but from the sidelines.” Draco shrugged lightly. “Well, mostly. Astoria’s grandfather was a supporter of Grindewald publicly.”

            “Really?” Harry asked in interest. If the family supported Grindewald then why would they have remained neutral for Voldemort?

            Draco made a noise of agreement. “It came as a surprise due to their previous refusal to get involved. Before the man chose a side, the Greengrass family hadn’t gotten involved in political issues in well over a century.” He could feel the curiosity in the bond and it had him smiling softly. His husband had always been the perfect listener.

            “People expected Astoria’s father to follow in the man’s footsteps when Voldemort came about. However, he did not. That did lose the family a lot of standing in social circles but it blew over pretty quickly due to him still just being a Grey wizard.” There was a slight pause as Draco let out a deep sigh.

            “But things changed when it was discovered that he had hired a freelance Auror for hire. The Auror in question had turned in evidence against Evan Rosier—don’t know if you know of him—which then led to the man’s—”

            “Death.” Harry whispered as his mind went back to the pensive memory he saw of Karkaroff being brought in. The man had been giving names to Crouch, in the hopes that he could secure his release. Crouch had said, ‘ _Rosier is dead. He was caught shortly after you were too. He preferred to fight rather than come quietly and was killed in the struggle.’_

Draco wasn’t sure where Harry had known that from but it did make explaining things easier.

            “Her father hired the man who turned in Rosier?” Harry was honestly surprised.

            “That’s the thing.” Draco’s voice had taken a mysterious edge and it had Harry horribly hooked. “The Auror who turned in Rosier retired right after the duel that got the man killed. It wasn’t discovered until many years later that Astoria’s father had anything to do with it. The Ministry had passed a law that made it possible to go over anyone’s bank statements if evidence was proved that they were doing things that might be illegal.”

            Harry held up a hand, interrupting for a moment. “But Gringotts has the right to deny that. They aren’t Ministry ran.”

            “True.” Draco conceded with a smirk. “But the Ministry offered to pay Gringotts a yearly stipend for their troubles. It wasn’t ever made public _how_ much money transferred hands but my father said it had to be a lot to make the Goblins agree to something like that.”

            “Huh.” Harry scratched his chin. “And for this to work, there had to evidence that illegal things were being done?”

            “Yes.” There was a dramatic pause that had Harry’s mouth twitching. “But the only thing that had been discovered during the investigation into his statements was that he had hired the Auror. Not a single thing had been shown that he was even remotely doing things he shouldn’t.”

            “Which makes me wonder why he came under suspicion in the first place.” Mumbled Harry, not liking the mystery of the whole thing. Stuff wasn’t adding up.

            “Exactly.” Draco was pleased by Harry’s line of thinking. “Although, with the evidence regarding the Auror, people didn’t really question the original reason for the investigation. Now, there wasn’t much proof that Astoria’s father had been the one to give the man evidence against Rosier. There was only sums of money connecting the two before and after the incident.”

            “That is circumstantial at best. That money could have been for anything.” Harry argued.

            Draco grinned at the way Harry was already forming legal opinions and dismissing the faulty theories.

            “It was asked that he say what the Auror had been hired for but he refused. Wouldn’t speak of it to anyone and heavily denied doing anything wrong. The only thing he would go on record with, was to have said that he only did what was necessary.”

            “Mmm.” Harry wasn’t sure about that. It could be seen as someone purposefully saying things to either be in the spotlight or it was a tactic to get the investigation off of him. He thought it was a poor choice of words, because it hinted at the suggestion that the man _had_ hired the Auror to turn in Rosier.

            “Voldemort was long gone by the time the investigation began. So, it wasn’t as if there was a rush in the Ministry to get it done. It was actually a lot of Death Eaters or supporters that wanted answers. Rosier had been one of Voldemort’s biggest Death Eaters. He was ruthless, deadly and above my father until his death.”

            “What did the man do for Voldemort?”

            “He was an expert in torture.” Harry wrinkled his nose in distaste. “Specifically, for children.”

            Harry covered his mouth as he tried not to think of any child that had fallen victim to Voldemort’s plans.

            “Rosier had a knack for getting children to talk when others couldn’t. Sometimes, he would play head games with them. Either by tricking them into thinking he was on their side or even pretending to be a victim as well. My father used to say that the man had a twisted sense of humor and found torture to be funny and enjoyable.”

            Oh god. Harry couldn’t even fathom someone like that existing. What would possess someone to be able to torture a child and _like_ it?

            “The man didn’t just torture people for the cause. He was a serial torturer. Branched out on his own. Before and after the downfall of Voldemort. A real danger to society because most of his crimes weren’t linked to him. At least until the Auror related the evidence to the Ministry.”

            Draco tightened his hold on Harry when the emotions turned a sickish feeling that felt similar to nausea.

            “If there was no evidence linking him to the tortures, how do you know he did them?”

            “Because he left a certain mark on every victim. Claiming them in a way. It was the same mark he left on Voldemort’s targets.”

            “Would her father have known this? Considering he wasn’t a Death Eater.”

            Draco made an unsure noise as he bit his lip. “I can’t say for certain. My father said it wasn’t a secret how dark Rosier was or even if it was ever mentioned around supporters.”

            “What happened with the investigation?”

            “It came to a standstill when Martin Greengrass was found tortured to death.”      

            Harry dropped his mouth open in horror and surprise. “Who did it?”

            Draco shrugged his shoulders. “There was never any evidence pointing to someone. My guess is it was either a Death Eater or a very dark supporter. My father never said if there was someone he suspected.”

            “It was some form of revenge? Because they believed he really did hire the Auror to turn in Rosier?”

            “I think so.” Draco whispered. “There isn’t much to go off of but it did look that way.” He paused to run his fingers through Harry’s thick locks. “A note was sent to the Ministry the morning after. It held the magical signature of Martin and was confirmed by his wife that it was indeed his handwriting.”

            “What did it say? This suggests that he knew he was going to die.”

            “The note said, ‘Staying silent in the wake of destruction is just as responsible as those committing the acts themselves. Believing what is right and doing what is right are two different things. Sometimes, you have to forsake your own values to do what others won’t. Believe in yourself, despite the evidence against you.”

            Harry tilted his head to the side when he felt several different emotions in the bond. “This resonated with you.” Which would explain why the Slytherin still remembered the note after all this time.

            Despite it being rhetorical, Draco nodded his head. “It’s powerful. If taken into context with everything else, it was a bold stance that I can’t help but admire.”

            That had Harry humming in agreement. He too could admire the man’s actions. It must have been hard going against his family’s teachings to branch out and do the right thing. Especially considering how dangerous Rosier was.

            “And how does this play into Astoria and your sixth year?”

            Draco clenched his fist. “Astoria was interested in becoming a Death Eater. With her father’s status, this was impossible. Not only would she never be trusted but their social standing still wasn’t the best. She took this as a personal insult. If she couldn’t become one, then she was going to ruin whatever I was doing in the process.”

            “She knew you were a Death Eater?” It sounded like the girl just couldn’t let go of grudges. If she had stopped to consider just what she was doing, she would have to see that it wasn’t healthy, right?

            “I think she suspected. It’s possible there was someone in the ranks that sympathized with her and possibly hinted at my own status. The only problem is that she saw this as some kind of competition. While she may have wanted to be a Death Eater, I _never_ did. I was forced into the decision while she was willing.”

            “Wasn’t the subject of your mission, a secret? I didn’t think many people knew what you were told to do.”

            Draco nodded in reply. “Yes. She definitely didn’t know what I was supposed to be doing. But she didn’t care either. All Astoria wanted to do was mess up whatever I was doing.”

            Harry narrowed his eyes. “Doesn’t she realize that failure of any mission can lead to death?”

            “Yes.” That was the whole point. “Part of me had hoped that she would mess it up, so that I had a way out.”

            “Draco.” Harry whispered with his eyes closed tightly. His heart ached at the knowledge that his lover would have seen death as an option.

            “But I had to continue on. I had to make sure my mother would be safe. So, I fought back, going to great lengths to keep her away from me. It was hard having you follow me around, her butting in and then the stress of the whole mission itself.”

            Harry cupped Draco’s cheek, always in awe of the strength the blonde had. “I don’t like that she knew the consequences of failing and still tried to throw off your mission.”

            “Well, she always was a bitch.” Draco sighed heavily. “Did you know that during holiday breaks, she was a snatcher last year?”

            “Really?” Harry tilted his head to the side, thinking back to Greyback. How the man was never properly considered a Death Eater but still chose to participate in whatever he could that was darker. “In show of support for Voldemort’s cause?”

            “Mhm. Although, I don’t think she ever did catch anyone. Snatchers had to have a decent amount of skill to be good.”

            That was debatable. Harry didn’t think the ones that had caught him were too bright. But he supposed they had managed to capture them. So maybe they held some guise of skill.

            “So, she’s definitely darker.”

            “Oh, yeah.” Draco shook his head sadly. “Which is odd considering Daphne is so different from that.” He wondered if they just had different values.

            “Why do you think she doesn’t like me? Just because of who I am?”

            “Partly, yes.” Agreed Draco with a frown. “Astoria has always been someone who wants more. More power. More money. More social standing. Just more. You had what she wanted and you never cared for it.” When Harry looked confused, Draco hurried to explain.

            “Fame.” It was said as if it was simple. “A half-blood that even the most powerful purebloods paid attention to. A half-blood whose surname went back _centuries_. A half-blood who gained media spotlight without even trying. A half-blood who was well liked and had a lot of followers. A half-blood who was the opposition to the organization she desperately wanted to join.”

            It was obvious that by the repeated use of his blood status that Astoria valued blood purity.

            Draco paused as a new thought came to mind. “And now, you are the half-blood who married the one who rejected her. I imagine that had to hurt too.”

            “But I am more than that.” Those were all superficial things to dislike him for. She didn’t even _know_ him.

            “Oh, love.” Draco cupped Harry’s cheek and brought their foreheads together. “Anyone who knows you, knows this. She is petty, unoriginal and matters none.”

            Harry knew this, it was just the principle of the matter. If the girl was going to hate him, he wanted it to be because he had actually done something to her. He wanted the dislike to be on merit and not just because she felt like it. You can’t change what you didn’t do, and that was what bothered him the most.

            “I love you.” Harry whispered sincerely, closing his eyes. “I love that you _see_ me.” Not many people did.

            “I love you too.” Draco smiled tenderly. “You see me as well.” No one outside of his friends had done that.

            “Just in case you were wondering, I see you both.”

            They both startled at the sound of Sirius’ voice. Draco narrowed his eyes at the painting. They had obviously forgot about the man’s presence. It was clear that Sirius had heard their whole conversation.

            Harry smiled softly. “Thanks for the sentiment.” He knew that this was Sirius’ way of showing support. “Hey, did you ever have a marriage contract?”

            Sirius grimaced. “Yes. I was to be married into the Lestrange surname. Must have been a Black twofer.”

            That had Draco arching a brow in amusement. “There hasn’t been a girl Lestrange in over fifty years. Is there something you want to tell us?”

            “Ooo.” Harry whispered in surprise. “Are you into men? Why have I never known this?”

            “That’s because I’m not.” Sirius tilted his head to the side. “Well, maybe. I did have this massive crush on Bagman when he was still a Quidditch player.”

            “Ew.” Harry and Draco said in unison, remembering the man from their fourth year.

            “You have no idea how striking he looked in his uniform. Especially right after he got done with a match. Windblown hair and bright eyes.”

            Draco coughed pointedly. “Don’t like men, my arse.”

            Sirius shot him a glare but cleared his throat. “Anyways, my mother had known early on that I was the trouble maker in the family and chose to allow my brother to be the one to continue on the family name. So, she didn’t care whether I married a man or not.”

            “Even if you had never shown an inclination for the same sex?” Harry just didn’t understand what went on in the minds of some purebloods.

            “Especially because I had never shown any inclination.” Sirius corrected. “It was her way of punishing me.”

            “That’s fucked up.” Draco grumbled, not understanding it completely himself.

            “Not as fucked up as being signed off to marry Rabastan Lestrange. Merlin, I have seen putrid potions ingredients that had more personality than him. It wasn’t until I was disowned that the contract became null and void. Best day of my bloody life.”

            Harry could see truth to his godfather’s words and it had him shaking his head in response. “I don’t get it.” He gestured between Sirius and Draco when the man looked at him curiously. “The pureblood way of ensuring their blood remains pure at the cost of their child’s happiness. Our children won’t have to go through that.”

            Draco kissed Harry’s neck and squeezed his soulmate once.

            “Children?” Sirius looked between them rapidly. “Is there something you would like to tell me?”

            “Yes, I would like to hear this as well.” Lucius’ voice had them realizing that the family was now done with the memory.

            Draco chuckled at the way everyone became fixated on them. “No children for us just yet. Not for many years.” He tilted his head when the quartet seemed saddened by this.

            Fred shrugged one shoulder at Draco’s look. “Your children would be quite the lookers.” He gestured between the two of them.

            “Yeah.” Pansy agreed with a thoughtful nod. “With Draco’s looks and Harry’s personality, they would be adorable.”

            The statement had both of them being mildly offended. “Draco’s looks? What about mine?” Harry demanded to know. "You saying I am ugly?"

            “Harry's personality? Are you saying that mine is less than desirable?” Draco countered with a harsh glare.

            “I’m beginning to feel sorry for their future kids.” George whispered loudly. “Imagine being little and on the receiving end of _that_?”

            “Which is why we will be the fun Uncles.” Blaise told him conspiratorially. A hard jab from Pansy had him amending his statement. “And Aunt.”

            “I don’t like any of you.” Draco complained with a shake of his head. “I am going to have to work hard so they don’t pick up any bad habits from you.”

            The quartet grinned smugly, obviously proud of this.

            “Can we move on to what is important?” Severus interrupted with a pinch to the bridge of his nose, wondering why he spent time with any of them.

            “Right.” Harry agreed, with a last glare at the quartet. If he didn’t know that Draco loved the way he looked, he might have hexed the four of them. “What did you think of the memory?”

            The eight still standing around the pensive all shared a look before speaking at once.

            Draco looked to the ceiling as some shouted. Let it be known that even Slytherins can be as loud as Gryffindors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to include more into this chapter but I kind of needed the next one to be more about what they saw in the memory and finish out that day. Which is why I'm just going to have it be in it's own chapter. 
> 
> It probably seems like nothing was really done in this chapter. Which wouldn't be inaccurate but like I said in the beginning notes, it's important. Now, there is a lot more to Astoria than was brought up and definitely more things in her family life. But for now, this will have to be enough on her. 
> 
> I was a little wary about some of the things in this chapter but I do think it needed to be brought up. With the way I have outlined the possibilities for male pregnancies or even the surrogate route, I do think that pureblood families would feel that the safer route would be to just marry them off in means of making sure an heir would be produced. It's not right but neither is a lot of things in their world. *Shrugs*
> 
> To be honest, I can completely see other families being wary of offering up their sons for marriage after Draco publicly rejected the offer. Especially with how passionate it was. 
> 
> You may be asking yourself, was any of the backstory regarding Martin and Rosier important. Well, keep asking yourself that because you should know my answer to that. :p 
> 
> I really want to know what Bagman looked like in his prime. I really do. 
> 
> Sirius Lestrange... uh... no... 
> 
> I am really fighting some fatigue here and can't really concentrate to add more notes. If you have any questions, let me know. 
> 
> -XxTheDarkLordxX


	12. Plans, Schemes and Tomorrow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Uh... Hi? 
> 
> There are no warnings for the chapter. 
> 
> RANT (sort of, it's more of an explanation)
> 
> I am sorry! This chapter has been a battle for a long time. Over a month. I just... have not been me. It wasn't until I was diagnosed (by a doctor) recently about having Depression that it made sense. I kept thinking my lack of motivation and unbearable fatigue was something that was wrong with me. I thought because I googled my symptoms-which I don't advise you do, Google told me I was dying-that I had something affecting my health. Which I do, just not in the way I originally anticipated. You guys know that I do research pretty well. So, I have been doing that since they told me. And I am just... I don't know. 
> 
> I'm trying to figure it all out, decide if I want to just see a therapist or go on medication. While I am doing that, please have patience with me. I am not abandoning this story. I just can't adhere to a deadline. My heart and my will to function jump at the chance to get right into a chapter, but then my mind can't compute. I'm here. I love you all. My story is still here. I just need time. Time to sort it all out. And unfortunately, that means I may need to take a lengthy time in between chapters. I do realize that this one was over a month. And I hate that. But it was needed. I am impatient as the next person, so I know that waiting sucks. Just have patience. Please. 
> 
> Also, this chapter isn't as long as you guys are used to. 6k words but it was all I could do. This one is kind of a breather and then the next one should kick right off into it all. I did edit this but I was in a hurry. So, I will go over it once again tomorrow and fix any mistakes. No need to point them out. I'll find them.

            “For starters, how could you have not noticed a Jinn following you?” Severus’ tone was hard, but it was mostly out of concern. He couldn’t fathom going that long and being clueless. Jinn are ruthless, let alone a Shaytan. They were lucky to be alive.

            “Also.” Remus began looking to Severus. “Since when have Jinn been able to mask their abilities? The suggestion that Déjà vu only happens when they _let_ it happen is problematic and changes _everything_.” His mind was whirling in dozens of different directions, trying to recall all lore and history of Jinn.

            Of all things for the man to harp on, Harry didn’t think that that would be what they were talking about. The possible end of the world seemed like a bigger matter. But what did he know?

            “Who cares about _that_?” Fred asked incredulously. “I’m a _bit_ more concerned about the potential **war** that could be approaching. If the _Venadere_ is only _one_ organization out there, then this is a gigantic mess.” He was worried about Remus, Fleur, Demetrius and every other Magical Creature out there.

            “What about them being the first soulmates?” George piped up, awe on his face. “That’s amazing.” There was still a part of him that wondered what having a soulmate would be like, but he was happily in love with Pansy and couldn’t imagine a life without her.

            “Or even that they have had an unknown amount of lives together.” Pansy whispered, staring between them with an unreadable expression. She adored the love that her best friends had together and was proud that they had found each other in this life time. But to think that they had been lucky enough to have _so_ many time after time? That seemed a tad unfair. It wasn’t that she was unhappy with her current life or partner, it was just the question of what? What was it about Harry and Draco that had them finding each other over and over again?

            Blaise discarded this with a wave of his hand. He was already used to the two of them doing unthinkable or even marvelous things. “Granted, that _is_ remarkable. But we have bigger things to discuss than that! Or did you forget that he said _magic could eradicate our world?”_ Which to him, seemed like the only thing they should be discussing at the moment.

“At least _someone_ is thinking correctly.” Lucius nodded his approval to Blaise. “That is a warning that can’t be ignored.” It wasn’t uncommon for ancient scribes to have mentioned the beginning of time, but it was always seen by wizard archives as myth telling. He would have to get in touch with some of his Ministry contacts to see what he could find out.

            “But if it had happened before, surely there would have been some kind of evidence.” Narcissa placed a hand on her hip and looked to the floor.  “Can we really take the Jinn’s word for it?” She wanted more evidence than vague collections in a language that didn’t exist anymore. Narcissa knew of the old runes that were found and placed in the Ministry. But that wasn’t enough. This all seemed too convienent for her.

            Harry opened his mouth to speak but it would seem that everyone had forgotten about them for a moment.

            “Can we afford to _not_ take his word for it?” Remus countered seriously. “If we take what he said with a grain of salt and continue forward, then that sounds better than disbelieving it entirely.” If they didn’t listen the Shaytan, then what would happen if the _Venadere_ became out of control? What would happen if Magic really did eradicate the world? His mind was still having trouble coming to grips with that possibility.

            “I love that you didn’t say _how_ we are to move forward.” Came Lucius’ sarcastic input. It was one thing to _say_ they should move forward. But actually doing it was another entirely. “How do we save the entire world? Do I look like Harry to you?”

            Harry scoffed, that wasn’t entirely fair. He sighed heavily when he felt Draco’s amusement.

            “Not with that attitude.” George grumbled. He quickly moved behind Fred and Blaise when the man turned towards him with narrowed eyes.

            “Alright, what’s your brilliant plan then?” Lucius asked, hands folded across his chest. This, he would have to hear.

            The quartet exchanged looks. “Don’t put us on the spot!” Pansy argued. “Saving the world is a bit different than pranks. We aren’t Harry either!”

            Draco couldn’t help but laugh silently as Harry threw his hands up in defeat.

            “Perhaps we have to stop the _Venadere_.” Narcissa offered, ignoring her husband and the quartet, who were in a glare off. Sometimes she wondered if they were all the same age at heart.

            “They seem to be the bottom of the iceberg.”

            Harry scrunched up his nose and looked to Severus in confusion. He wasn’t the only one either. Remus glanced at his lover, arching a brow.

            “Well, usually it would be the tip of the iceberg but the _Venadere_ have proven that they are powerful. If we focus on taking them out, then we will still be left with the smaller organizations out there. The ones that would represent the tip.”

            “Are you suggesting we get rid of _all_ organizations out there with bad intentions towards Magical Creatures?” Lucius scoffed. “Our numbers are laughable compared to what it would require.” He didn’t know the group of boys that Harry and Draco did. Hew wasn’t sure what they could really accomplish.

            “Well, what if we changed that?” Suggested Remus. “If more people are aware of what’s happening, the better our chances are.” The Magical Creature community is large, if they could unite as a whole, then they would stand a chance.

            Harry raised a finger, hoping for a way in, to remind them that they were working on that already. But before he could, Severus interrupted. What was with everyone ignoring him?

            “How do you suppose we do that?” His tone wasn’t disbelieving but more curious.

            “The boys during the firecall said that they had talked to other councils. If they really can get the other councils to band together during the Conference of Councils, then that is an impressive backing.”

            “Or a show of militia.” Lucius countered in a whisper.

            Everyone froze as they looked to the blonde questioningly.

            “Think about it. If you are the _Venadere_ and your main goal is the decimation of all Magical Creatures; wouldn’t you see a banding of Councils as an act of forces moving in? They aren’t going to take that well. It could even cause them to up the attacks or to start an all-out war.”

            There was an uneasy silence that filled the room.

            “Doing nothing will still result in the death of Magical Creatures.” Sirius’ painting piped up. Doing nothing in the hopes that it doesn’t get worse was an awful idea. When alive, he was always for proactive movement. He couldn’t get behind the idea to _not_ do something. Especially if other people were suffering.

            “He makes a fair point.” Fred whispered with a deep frown. “We can’t just do nothing. If the councils don’t band together then they will still get decimated.”

            Draco sighed heavily. Every scenario seemed as if it was a no win situation. But Fred was right. They couldn’t just do nothing. That wasn’t an option. Not anymore.

            “You know.” Severus’ tone was as if he had just come to a realization. “If we go public with someone whose name holds weight, we could actively demean their efforts.”

            Lucius shook his head as one side of his face lifted uneasily. “That could either push them further into secrecy or possibly make them throw caution to the wind and just attack on a full scale.”

            “Well aren’t you just full of optimism.” Fred and George drawled, ignoring the man’s angry expression. It was hard enough coming up with ideas, they didn’t need this negativity.

            “Pardon me for being a realist.”

            Draco sighed when they began bickering amongst themselves. Merlin, they were all a bunch of children.

            “Besides, whose name is big enough to call out a secret society?” Sirius yelled over Lucius and the twins.

            Almost as one, everyone turned to look at Harry.

            “Oh, _now_ you want to talk to me.” He huffed a little put out as he leaned back into Draco. He was feeling a little petty and kind of wanted to ignore them.

            “We could have used your input.” George informed him, hands on his hips. “Where you were during that conversation?”

            Harry dropped open his mouth as he looked to them all. He peered at Draco and tried to ignore his husband’s amusement. “How do you politely kick people out of your own home?”

            “Go home.” Draco demanded to the rest of them, lips twitching.

            “Hilarious.” Lucius rolled his eyes. “Can we discuss saving the world now? Or are you going to joke your way out?”

            Harry shook his head at his father in-law. “The _Venadere_ are using secrecy for a reason. Either because they know that the majority of society wouldn’t go along with it. _Or_ because it involves a deeper-rooted plan.” He ignored the look of surprise on their faces.

            “If there is a way to make the public aware of what is happening _without_ calling out the _Venadere_ directly, then we should do it. That will allow us to get the public’s attention _and_ figure out what they are up to. Because if they are needing secrecy for some nefarious attack, then we can use their secrecy _against_ them. But first, we have to figure out why they are staying secret in the first place.”

            Draco lifted his hand and summoned the letter from their bags. “This, is one way to begin that.”

            Lucius took the letter from Draco and scanned it thoroughly before passing it off to Remus.

            “Burke.” He exchanged a look with Severus, both recalling the boy’s parents. The Burke family had never been one to get involved in political manners. They certainly weren’t Death Eaters, but they had been firm in their pureblood beliefs.

            “He seems quite different… than the rest of his family.” Severus hedged, deciding to be nice about the whole thing. He had never had much contact with the youngest Burke. The boy was taken out of Hogwarts by the morning after his sorting.

            Draco snorted before shaking his head. “He gives us a way in.” Andrew could accomplish more than they would ever be able to when it came to the Ministry.

            “How?” Fred asked, eyes trailing over the letter as he read it over Pansy’s shoulder. “He gives you hardly anything. Especially if his superiors aren’t being too helpful.”

            “Ever wonder _why_ his superiors aren’t being helpful?” Draco countered, arching a brow. “It’s the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. By default, _that_ would be the department that should care the most.” He looked at them pointedly, a little disappointed that they didn’t realize the ramifications of that.

            “You think the _Venadere_ has breached the Ministry.” George stated with a slight wince. That would make things _very_ difficult.

            “The proof of that was Penrose’s body.” Lucius gestured to the dead Ministry worker that was still on the floor. “It would seem that at least two separate departments are working with the _Venadere_.” It was an internal nightmare. The Ministry was always filled with corruption, but this was something else entirely.

            “Burke will get us intel.” Harry told them with a slight shrug. “He may not be able to do a whole lot, but it will be a step in the right direction.”

            “That’s a dangerous game.” Severus warned unnecessarily. “If he’s really compiled all of the things he says he has _and_ showed it to his superiors, and nothing is being done? Then that would mean his boss is aware of the knowledge the man has. Burke becomes a liability.”           

            Draco shared a worried look with Harry. “You think he’s in danger?” That hadn’t quite crossed their minds before.

            “He will be if you ask him to help.”

            Lucius gestured to the letter as he shook his head. “Burke seems to be _wanting_ to help though.”

            “I realize that.” Severus raised his hands in a show of defeat. “I am just warning them of the risks of involving anyone.” He wanted everyone to be clear in what they were suggesting. Asking Burke to help would be asking him to spy on his superiors and his place of work. That was risky and dangerous. Not to mention it affected his livelihood completely. If things went south, the man would be without a job or even potentially his life, if the _Venadere_ were to find out.

            “We can’t win this if we don’t take risks.” Blaise pointed out. It felt a little callous to suggest that Burke was a risk or just a part of the consequences, but he knew they would get what he was really aiming to say. Playing this safe would accomplish nothing.

            “Why are we at the forefront?” Lucius asked in a way that let them know it was in resignation. As if he had already resigned himself to the fate of getting rid of the _Venadere_. “Why us?”

            “Well.” Draco began hesitantly. “None of you have to help.” He placed a hand on Harry’s arm. “This is something _we_ are doing. It’s safer if you don’t get involved. None of you have to do a single thing.” He knew that they wouldn’t take that well, but it still had to be said. It was still something that he believed.

            The statement was received with multiple glares.

            “Right.” Pansy’s tone was filled with sarcasm and censure. “As if we are going to allow you two to do this all on your own.” Bloody idiots. They were mental if they thought they would be doing this without them.

            Blaise shared an offended look with Fred. “What kind of friends would we be if we abandoned you now?”

            “Besides.” Remus began with his head tilted to the side. “This is a problem for everyone. If we continue to look at this as an issue for the select few being targeted, then it will just result in more bloodshed.”

            “I wish you both didn’t have to get involved.” Narcissa whispered, staring between her two boys. “Everything always seems to happen to you and I hate it.” She felt like screaming the injustice to anyone who would listen but, Narcissa realized how pointless that would be.

            Harry smiled at her warmly. “Believe me, I know the feeling.” He sighed heavily. “But I can’t just ignore this. Not after everything. Not with the injustice happening. If we can help, then _we will_.” Of that he was certain.

            Draco nodded his head firmly when his parents looked to him. “This is something that has to be done. _Equality is something that everyone should have_. The chance at life is something that everyone deserves. The injustice being done to those who have been denied both of these things, is horrendous. To do nothing is what the _Venadere_ wants. A silent voice speaks in favor of their oppression. If all we can do is bring our own voices forward, then we _need_ to speak. We need to give our voices to those whose own voice is ignored. The ones who go hoarse in the face of cruelty.”

            “That is a powerful message.” Remus whispered, proud of Draco and Harry. He had _never_ heard a statement like that from someone who wasn’t a Magical Creature.

            “Yeah it is.” Lucius and Severus whispered, staring at them both with determination. “Alright. Let’s do this. Let’s save the world.”

            There was a moment of silence that felt determined and worthwhile. Before, “How exactly do we do that?” George whispered.

            Harry and Draco snorted together. “I think our plan will just have to be a succession of little things. The councils are one. Getting the public to know is another. More than just Burke gathering intel in the Ministry will have to be one.” Harry ticked off them all on fingers.

            “Not to mention seeing that the school is back to as it should be.” Draco reminded him lowly. He glared at everyone else. “I am pretty angry with you all for not telling us what was happening.” He held up a hand when a few opened their mouths. “Right now, we have a lot of things that are more important but I expect you to make it up to me.” He sniffed dramatically.

            Severus rolled his eyes, ignoring his godson’s words. “We need a reporter on our side.”

            Lucius hummed in thought before looking to his wife. “I might have that covered.” There was something strange going on within the Ministry when it came to the news being issued. He had a hunch, but it would require some digging.

            That had Draco nodding in approval. “Alright but keep your schedule open in the morning. You’ll need it.”

            The vague statement was enough for Lucius to look to his son in confusion. “Care to explain?” It wasn’t as if he was terribly busy. He could make time, but it would be easier if he knew what to expect.

            “Not if you are going to have plausible deniability.” Harry informed him, getting up and pulling Draco with him. They weren’t sure what the Board of Governors were going to do with Draco’s threats but Lucius needed to be careful or he would be called into question.

            It showed how much of a Slytherin that the man was, that he didn’t pause to question Harry’s words. He just nodded firmly, with a little proud smile.

            “What do we need to do if Kreacher wakes up during the night?” Harry asked, letting them know that for now their discussion was over with. It was already well into the night and they had school in the morning. Unfortunately.

            Severus pulled out all the vials they would need and quickly added a few more ingredients before he handed them to Draco. “Make sure you follow up with these. If he begins bleeding internally again, firecall me.”

            Harry nodded as his eyes looked to Kreacher sadly. He really hoped that calling Severus wouldn’t be necessary.

            “Thank you.” Draco told his godfather thickly, without Severus, Kreacher would be long dead.

            Severus regarded Draco curiously before nodding his head, choosing to stay silent. He may not completely understand why the elf was so important to them but if Kreacher was a part of their family then the elf was a part of his as well.

            “We will be in contact tomorrow night.” Lucius warned his sons firmly. “Severus’ quarters would be preferable.” It was a demand, not that he could really tell his son what to do anymore.

            If things worked out the way he wanted them to, Draco would be seeing his father sooner than that, but he agreed anyways. “I’ll send Burke a reply in the morning.”

            Harry knew that would require his husband to wake up early and he was _not_ looking forward to that. Draco was not a morning person.

            The feelings in the bond had Draco peering at Harry curiously. There was a reluctance and even slight resignation, but his lover just waved away the concern with a smile.

            Before Harry could explain, they were both surrounded by the quartet.

            “Guys.” Draco let out a little laugh, not able to tell who was who or which body part was nearest to him.

            “We’ll see you tomorrow.” Pansy whispered. “I wish we could stay outside of Hogwarts too.”

            “Don’t worry.” Harry assured her. “We’ll fix that too.” He didn’t understand how the school could have gone downhill so quickly. It was baffling the things that had happened. They _would_ be fixing it all.

            Surprisingly enough, that had Blaise and Pansy relaxing. Harry and Draco would solve everything. They always do.

            Harry watched the four of them floo out of the room with a small smile. He wasn’t sure what he would do without them. They were his best friends.

            “I’ll take him with us.” Lucius gestured to the dead body that he placed a feather weight charm on. “The Black Room can host him until I figure out the best place to dispose of him.”

            “The _Venadere_ know that he was left behind.” Severus mumbled. “I think it would be best to not dispose of him.”

            “Why would they have left him behind? Wouldn’t they want him back?” Harry wondered with his brows pinching. “They left him behind for a reason, right?”

            “They don’t want him connected to them.” Narcissa explained. “If he had been taken, we would have known that it was obvious that he had connections to them. With him being left behind, they think that he _can’t_ be traced back.”

            “But no one leaves behind zero traces.” Lucius floated the man towards the fire as he stepped towards it. “I’ll find _something_. I always do.”

            Narcissa wrapped them both in a hug. “Be smart when you deal with the school.” It was more of a warning then advice.

            “We will.” Draco whispered, knowing it was her way of expressing that she was worried.

            Harry opened his arms when he caught Remus looking. He laughed when they were both swept up into strong arms. “Visit me tomorrow in the library? I have missed you both.”

            That had Draco smiling softly. It was nice having the man care about him. There weren’t many adults in his life that cared until recently and he wanted to soak up every positive comfort that he could.

            “Can I see Teddy too?”

            Remus grinned down at Harry. “Of course you can. He’ll love someone else to change his appearance too. I’m afraid he’s looked like Severus for over a month.”

            “As if that’s a bad thing.” Severus muttered, rolling his eyes.

            “I think it’s cute that he wants to look like his father.” Harry whispered loud enough that Severus’ breath caught in his throat.     

            Severus blinked rapidly before he turned around, not meeting anyone’s eyes. Belatedly, he noticed that Lucius and Narcissa had already left but his mind was caught up in the implications of Harry’s words.

            The arms around Harry tightened just a little. “Thank you.” Remus whispered thickly, emotion catching in his throat. “He doesn’t yet realize how much he means to Teddy and I.”

            “I can hear you.” Severus bit out without heat.

            “I know.” Remus retorted, grin forming on his lips as he stepped away to pull Severus into his arms. “Teddy will grow up with two fathers. You aren’t replacing his mother, nor will he think so. You aren’t your father nor are you the byproduct of his actions.”

            Draco and Harry shared an uncomfortable look as they realized that they were listening in on a private conversation.

            “I love you, you know?” Severus answered, not bothering to respond to his lover’s statement. Logically, he knew that Remus and Teddy were his family. The thought of forever with the both of them was what he wanted but thought he would never have. Getting used to the reality of his life was far harder than he thought it would be. 

            Remus thought his heart must have melted. “Believe me, I know.” He grinned at the annoyed look the man released before he leaned forward and captured his lips in a sweet kiss. “Let’s go check on our son.”

            They watched the two men leave, who were so caught up in each other that they didn’t bother with a goodbye.

            “They are utterly adorable.” Harry whispered, still staring at the fireplace.

            “Agreed. But I think we are far more adorable.”

            “It’s not a competition.” Harry turned his head towards Draco and kissed his husband gently. “But you are a bit biased.”

            “Your emotions didn’t disagree with me.” Draco pointed out smugly. “You think we are cuter than them.”

            Harry grinned wryly. “Perhaps but that would still make me biased as well.”

            “I can live with that.”

            That had Harry rolling his eyes as he looked around the room, biting his lip. “Do you think that we can sleep down here?”

            The thought of sleeping in the living room was _not_ appealing, but Draco knew that Harry just wanted to be close to Kreacher. He waved his hand and began cleaning the place; wiping away the blood, sprucing up the atmosphere so it didn’t smell like death and disinfecting _everything_.

            Harry transfigured one of their chairs into a bed. He knew that the Slytherin wouldn’t sleep on the floor, nor would he want to either.

            It wasn’t until they were entwined underneath the blankets, did they both relax completely. They were home. They were together. Things would be alright.

 

* * *

 

 

            The sound of a gargled rasp woke them both up instantly. Draco had his hand raised, ready to attack whatever was disturbing their sleep but lowered it immediately at the sight of Kreacher’s eyes staring at him widely.

            “Kreacher!” Harry cried, scrambling up out of the bed. “Are you alright? How are you feeling?” He quickly summoned the vials that Severus had told them Kreacher would need.

            Kreacher blinked slowly a few times, allowing his mind to catch up with him. “Master Harry! Hellhound ate poor Kreacher!”

            _‘Azad saved his despicable life and the elf complains?’_ Sephtis hissed angrily from somewhere in the living room.

            “Azad stalled your life by keeping you intact in his stomach.” Draco reassured, running his magic over the elf, making sure that nothing was wrong. He nodded his head towards the vials when Kreacher looked at them curiously. The elf reached out to grab them, albeit a little shakily.

            The thumping of a tail had Harry smiling softly, looking at the hound who was happy to hear his name. “Good boy for protecting Kreacher.”

            Kreacher eyed the hellhound doubtfully before snapping his head towards them both. He took the first two, grateful that they didn’t taste too bad. Kreacher wasn’t sure what they were for but if his Masters wanted him to take it, he would.

            “Masters! The wards around the house were attacked.”

            Alarmed, Draco stood up rapidly, throwing his hands in the air and testing the wards himself.

            “I don’t find them broken or even dented. It feels as if nothing had happened.” Draco announced, running through them again.

            “Kreacher thought so too!” His ears were twitching rapidly. “But when Kreacher added his own protection to the wards, the floo was invaded by intruders!”

            “A distraction.” Harry whispered, shaking his head. He hated how smart the _Venadere_ are. “Just in case someone was home, they used a small attack on the wards to draw your attention there.”

            Draco huffed angrily, wishing he had been here to unleash his anger out on them instead.

            “What happened?” Draco asked, peering at Kreacher intently. “Did you see what attacked you?”

            Kreacher’s eyes went wide and fearful. “Tis not spoken of in polite conversations.” The elf whispered, looking around the room. “ _Dumedium.”_

            Harry and Draco shared a look, recalling that Jake and Blake had suspected the Rainbow Serpent to be at the middle of this.

            “Bad omen.” Kreacher continued, fear leaking into his tone. “It blocked Kreacher’s magic.” There was a pause before the elf sobbed heavily. “Kreacher is so sorry!”

            “Why are you sorry?” Draco whispered, kneeling on the ground before the couch that the elf was on.

            “Kreacher couldn’t stop them! They entered the Noble House of Black and Kreacher’s magic failed! Tis punishable!”

            Harry’s heart broke at the guilt in the elf’s eyes. Kreacher wasn’t even concerned with his own injuries.

            “We don’t blame you.” Draco told him firmly. “It’s not your fault. The _Venadere_ are at fault. Not you.”

            Kreacher’s eyes were filled with tears and his expression clearly disagreed with Draco’s insight. “Master Draco—” He stopped, not wanting to go against his Master’s opinion.

            Harry and Draco shared a look, not liking where this was headed.

            “Kreacher.” Harry began gently but not remotely patronizing. “We aren’t going to punish you.” He ignored the stricken look that the elf adopted. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You didn’t break any orders. You tried to stop them. You did exactly what you were supposed to. We aren’t mad. We aren’t angry. We are proud of you.”

            Kreacher blinked rapidly, tears falling from the action. “Master Harry… is… proud of Kreacher?”

            “We both are.” Draco whispered, patting Kreacher’s hand slightly. “You are more than our house elf. You are a part of our family. We wouldn’t care if they had blown up the entire house if that meant that you were still safe.”

            By the way a small grimace appeared on Kreacher’s face, it was clear that he didn’t like the idea of the Noble House of Black being demolished. But his ears twitched rapidly, pleased with the reassurance that he was a part of the family.

            There was a silence that filled the room and was only broken by Kreacher throwing himself at the two of them, little arms wrapped around both of their necks.

            “Kreacher doesn’t know how he got so lucky.”

            Harry wasn’t sure if the elf was speaking to himself or them, so he didn’t reply. Just held onto the elf tightly.

            The bond was filled with familial love as Draco smiled warmly, grateful that Kreacher was alright.

            “Be careful.” Draco chided gently. “It took a lot of potions to heal you properly.”

            Kreacher sat back, extending his legs fully, eyeing them both. He tilted his head to the side when he sent his magic inward, trying to assess his injuries. “Kreacher is fine.”

            Harry and Draco let out sighs of relief.

            “Master Harry?” Kreacher asked hesitantly, not used to speaking unless asked to.

            “Yes?” Harry was a little amused by the shy nature but knew it would take some time for the elf to get used to being their friend and not just their house elf.

            “Kreacher detects Master Harry’s magic inside.” He placed a hand on his body, gesturing to himself.

            “Oh.” Harry breathed out in understanding. “I had to locate our service bond to stop your bleeding. I used that to help save you on the inside as Draco helped on the outside.”

            Kreacher’s eyes filled with tears again as he looked at Harry in a way that he wasn’t used to. Usually, the elf looked at Draco as if he had personally hung the moon.

            Harry barely held out his arms in time to catch Kreacher.

            “Master Harry is too kind.”

            That had Harry flushing, but he was also pleased with the praise. “We did whatever we could to keep you safe.”

            Kreacher slowly receded back to the couch, unsure if he was meant to stay here or go to his quarters.

            Draco took in the slight grimace from Kreacher and frowned. “Are you comfortable? Is something wrong with the potions?” When Kreacher shook his head and looked around the room, Draco hummed softly. “Do you wish to reside in your quarters instead?”

            Master Draco’s insight had Kreacher relaxing. “Yes.” He nodded his head rapidly. “Kreacher likes his own space.”

            That much Harry could understand. If Kreacher wanted to leave the living room, then that was fine with him.

            “Alright.” Harry told him, helping the elf get off the couch. He ignored the aghast look on Kreacher’s face. He couldn’t help but find the elf’s mannerisms endearing. “But take it easy tomorrow, okay? Minimal chores.”

            Draco let out a slow whistle, already anticipating a meltdown.

            Kreacher paused mid-step. “Master Harry is… dissatisfied with Kreacher’s work?” 

            The way Kreacher’s ears drooped so sadly had Harry’s heart breaking. “No! No, that’s not what I meant.” He looked to Draco for help but found his husband slowly creeping towards the stairs. The bloody coward!

            There was a slight twinge of betrayal in the bond and it had Draco’s lips twitching. He sighed heavily before stopping on the first step.

            “Harry is just worried about you. He has no issues with your work ethic. The way you handle everything is superb as usual.”

            Harry sighed in relief when Kreacher’s ears resumed their normal stature. “I just want to make sure you are fully healed is all. I wasn’t suggesting you _not_ work at all. Just to take it light.”

            Kreacher peered at Master Draco, hoping to see his opinion on the matter.

            There was begging in the bond and begging in Kreacher’s eyes. He wasn’t sure which one he was supposed to be listening to.

            “I think Harry is right.” Draco decided, angling his body to the side, so that Harry couldn’t see him wink reassuringly at Kreacher.

            It was amusing to see both of them sigh in relief. Draco wasn’t sure how this was his life, but he wouldn’t change a single thing.

            Harry walked up to Draco and wrapped his arms around the man. He wasn’t sure he fully believed Draco but that was alright. He would let the blonde get away with it.

            “Goodnight young Masters.” Kreacher told them softly before walking towards his quarters. He paused for a moment to pet the top of the hellhound’s head. He hadn’t fully decided what he thought of the animal, but he was grateful that Azad had saved him. The new revelation however, did not stop him from narrowing his eyes at the snake. Eventually, he would find a loophole in Master Harry’s orders. Snake stew would be a nice addition to dinner.

            Draco sagged into Harry’s side, desperately wanting to go back to bed. He looked down at Sephtis and Azad. “Thank you both for protecting the house. We love you guys.”

            Azad wagged his tail, catching it on the wall and causing loud thumps to echo around the room.

            _‘I tolerate you both.’_

Harry rolled his eyes as he felt Draco shake his head. **_‘Just us? Does that mean you have admitted to loving Azad?’_**

If a snake could splutter or choke, Draco was sure that Sephtis was.

            _‘Azad is the lowest in my opinion.’_

 _**‘Mhm’**_ Harry continued, not believing the snake for a single moment. He looked to Draco in amusement. **_‘I think our children are in love.’_**

Draco laughed loudly, ignoring the way Sephtis hissed at them both. He turned around and entwined their fingers as they went up the stairs. **_‘They certainly are our children, aren’t they?’_**

            _‘Don’t make me bite you!’_ Sephtis warned darkly.

            The snake continued a string of insults as they walked to their bedroom, pointedly ignoring him.

            The snap of the door shutting behind them was a sound that Harry didn’t think he needed until he heard it. The sight of their own bed, something they haven’t seen in a month was definitely a relief. They were home. Anywhere with Draco would always be his home. But Grimmauld Place held a special place for them.

            Despite everything chaotic happening around them, just being here with Draco, Kreacher and their animal children was enough. They could figure out the problems of the world tomorrow. They could save everyone tomorrow. They could plant and scheme tomorrow. They could do anything they wanted, tomorrow. But for now?

            Right now, they would relish in being home. Together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, for the end notes, I don't think I have much to write. I'm pushing myself trying to write what I have already so far in the beginning notes. 
> 
> I loved the thought of the family working everything out without any input from Harry and Draco. It was less about the comedic value and more of just wanting to showcase their separate knowledge regarding it all. 
> 
> Guys. Lucius is turning out to be my powerhouse. I just love the way his mind works. That uh was not meant to insinuate that I love the way my mind works. Lol no. I just mean his blunt way of seeing things. Not to mention his suspicious nature sees things that the others might not. Yes, Severus is similar but there's just something about the way that Lucius thinks that I really like. 
> 
> I still adore Severus and Remus together. They may be my favorite of the couples in this story right after Drarry! 
> 
> Kreacher is just... *sighs happily* I love that little guy. I also love the love/hate relationship he has with Sephtis. 
> 
> So, I promise to reply to last chapters comments soon. Hopefully tomorrow! 
> 
> Once again. I am sorry about the wait. I will try and get it done sooner. I love you all!


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